Chapter 13 And the Oracle says…
She woke to the first mate Hannah pounding on her door telling her she would be late for her shift. Mia groaned and climbed out of bed and she realized had dreamed again of Smith. She hurried through her morning routine and made it with 2 minutes to spare.
She was half way through her shift when Captain Jackson came on the main deck and announced they were going to broadcast level. They had heard from the Oracle and she wanted to see Mia.
Captain Jackson looked at Mia and said, "We don't know if that Agent can track your voice pattern, I would advise you once inside, don't use any phone lines. I think you should pair yourself with Hannah if anything should happen. I don't want him to come looking for you or us." Maritas only nodded. She had not thought about the Oracle in a while and figured she would see her sooner or later.
Captain Jackson powered the craft to one of his favourite broadcast places and everyone got ready. She was the only one of the crew who had yet to be seen by the Oracle but she couldn't help wondering about the timing.
She smiled at Lewis as he went around and checked everyone making sure everything was in place. He grinned at her but she could see a sadness in his eyes She hoped he didn't hate her.
They jacked in and this time, they came to in another old hotel room. Maritas looked around and once again shook her head and thought, 'I thought only the bad guys always wore black.' Everyone was once again dressed in some form of black leather or dark colours. Captain Jackson gave the word and everyone headed out and down the stairs. Two of the crew would stay at the exit and make sure it was clear for their return. The four of them got into a car and Captain Jackson drove. He seemed to sense her hesitation and smiled saying, "She'll see you this time. But remember what ever she says to you is for you alone." Maritas nodded and thought about the last time she went to see her, Agents had shown up and one tried to kidnap her. Her mind turned to the situation she was in now. She found she wanted to see Agent Smith again and to tell him that she couldn't be his lover. Tell him that it didn't matter if she dreamed of his kisses… his touch…" 'Oh Gods', she wanted to see him again. Her thought were interrupted when the car stopped and Captain Jackson looked over at her and said, "Are you ready?" Mia nodded yes and followed him out of the car and up towards the apartment.
They took the elevator up and Mia noticed it was a different floor from the last time but she said nothing. As they walked up to the door, it opened. The same woman was smiling at them as they approached and she said to Captain Jackson, "Nice to see you again Captain. Mia, the Oracle will be right with you."
Mia looked around the room. It looked just like a regular apartment, somewhat dated but nothing unusual. She went over and looked at a wall clock that had the hands stuck, like they were trying to move but where stuck there. She was just about to reach out and give them a nudge when she heard her name called.
Mia was led into a small kitchen and was surprised to see an elderly black woman sitting there. The surprise must have shown on her face because the woman chuckled and said, "Yeah, everyone gives me that look when they first come see me. Well, have a seat and let me look at you." Mia stepped forward and sat down across from her. She watched as the Oracle took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. As she smoked, she just watched Mia and the silence seemed to stretch forever. The Oracle reached over and put out her cigarette in an ashtray on the table. She shook her head and said, "Mia, you don't know what you're messing with. You know what I'm talking about don't you?" Mia looked at her thinking, 'how could she know about Agent Smith?' Mia stammered, 'It could be a lot of things you're talking about. I'm not sure which one." The Oracle sighed and said, "Mia, he's a dangerous program, more dangerous than you know. But no matter what I tell you, you've already made up your mind haven't you?" Mia shook her head and said, "No. I mean… I'm not sure." The Oracle watched her and said, "You want to see him again, isn't that right?" Mia looked away. Her mind was reeling, there was no way this woman could know about her and Agent Smith but she knew…" Mia nodded her head yes and said, "He said he wants to learn about what makes us human. The counsel thinks it's a good idea." The Oracle was still watching her and said, "Well, what do you think about it? Do you think it's a good idea?" Mia fidgeted and said, "I didn't at first. But he's interesting to talk to and I hate to say it but I find him fascinating." The Oracle shook her head and said, "Well kid, I think both of you don't really know what your getting yourselves into. Him more so than you but I can tell you this, Mia once he has you he won't want to let you go. He's used to things being his way and that's the only way." Mia looked over at the Oracle and said, "If you tell me not to see him again, I won't. The Oracle reached for another cigarette and said, "But you do want to see him again don't you? You came here thinking that no matter what I was going to tell you, you were going to see him. Am I right?" Mia could only stare at her and stammered, "I was going to tell him that we couldn't… That I…" She couldn't finish the sentence and just stared at the floor. The Oracle leaned forward and said, "Mia, if you see him again, you both are going to go places neither one of you are expecting. It could be a good thing or a bad thing as sex always changes things. I must admit that I am surprised as this is something programs like him don't usually do. I guess they always could, but finding the desire to do it, is something else entirely. I wonder how much of this is to do with him needing and wanting to expand his own programming. I honestly don't know if this is something the Mainframe would even suggest. Well, I wish you luck kid because you're both going to need it. " The Oracle stood and Mia knew her meeting was over. She turned and asked, "What will happen if I never see him again?" The Oracle lit her cigarette and said, "Well I suppose he would be left wondering what ever happened to you and the funny part is, he would wonder. As for you, I think you would eventually stop dreaming of him." Mia couldn't think of a reply as she was led from the room. As she entered the waiting area, Captain Jackson stood to greet her. He smiled and said, "I think everyone who has come out of that door after talking with her all have the same reaction." Mia could only nod, she was still too numb to speak.
The Oracle watched Mia leave and put out her cigarette. She knew who Agent Smith was – everyone knew who he was. She knew one thing for sure, the Mainframe was totally unaware of Agent Smith's plans. She knew they would recall him for a full dialogistic if they even had a hint that he was trying to take a human lover. She wondered what he was up to and ran through all possible motives but couldn't come up with any that made sense. She shook her head, the idea of him just being curious enough to try something like this, made her nervous. This whole situation could turn out very badly for everyone involved.
Captain Jackson and Mia left the apartment and she followed him down stairs and into the car without a word. She had to think about everything that was said and try and figure out what she was going to do about it.
They all made it to their exit and out of the Matrix with out any glitches. Mia wanted to be alone and headed off towards her secret place in the storage area. She sat down and leaned against the cold metal of the wall and used it to try to clear her mind. She went over the whole conversation with the Oracle in her head. She leaned her head into her hands and wondered how she got into such a mess. 'Why me? she thought – 'why did he pick me?' There had to be something wrong with her that she found him attractive – she had to be some sort of freak. There also had to be something wrong with his programming. Agent programs just didn't start wanting to sleep with humans. She thought that maybe she should have told the Oracle about him taking the ear piece out when ever he wanted to ask her something personal. Did that mean that he kept his word and had not told the Mainframe about him wanting them to become lovers? She thought about it and every time he had some personal contact, he was always disconnected from the mainframe. She was now more confused than ever. She would ask him out right the next time she saw him. She thought back to the conversation with the Oracle and something struck her. Would he actually wonder about her if she never went back? She would worry about this later, right now her head hurt and she needed some sleep.
She woke to the first mate Hannah pounding on her door telling her she would be late for her shift. Mia groaned and climbed out of bed and she realized had dreamed again of Smith. She hurried through her morning routine and made it with 2 minutes to spare.
She was half way through her shift when Captain Jackson came on the main deck and announced they were going to broadcast level. They had heard from the Oracle and she wanted to see Mia.
Captain Jackson looked at Mia and said, "We don't know if that Agent can track your voice pattern, I would advise you once inside, don't use any phone lines. I think you should pair yourself with Hannah if anything should happen. I don't want him to come looking for you or us." Maritas only nodded. She had not thought about the Oracle in a while and figured she would see her sooner or later.
Captain Jackson powered the craft to one of his favourite broadcast places and everyone got ready. She was the only one of the crew who had yet to be seen by the Oracle but she couldn't help wondering about the timing.
She smiled at Lewis as he went around and checked everyone making sure everything was in place. He grinned at her but she could see a sadness in his eyes She hoped he didn't hate her.
They jacked in and this time, they came to in another old hotel room. Maritas looked around and once again shook her head and thought, 'I thought only the bad guys always wore black.' Everyone was once again dressed in some form of black leather or dark colours. Captain Jackson gave the word and everyone headed out and down the stairs. Two of the crew would stay at the exit and make sure it was clear for their return. The four of them got into a car and Captain Jackson drove. He seemed to sense her hesitation and smiled saying, "She'll see you this time. But remember what ever she says to you is for you alone." Maritas nodded and thought about the last time she went to see her, Agents had shown up and one tried to kidnap her. Her mind turned to the situation she was in now. She found she wanted to see Agent Smith again and to tell him that she couldn't be his lover. Tell him that it didn't matter if she dreamed of his kisses… his touch…" 'Oh Gods', she wanted to see him again. Her thought were interrupted when the car stopped and Captain Jackson looked over at her and said, "Are you ready?" Mia nodded yes and followed him out of the car and up towards the apartment.
They took the elevator up and Mia noticed it was a different floor from the last time but she said nothing. As they walked up to the door, it opened. The same woman was smiling at them as they approached and she said to Captain Jackson, "Nice to see you again Captain. Mia, the Oracle will be right with you."
Mia looked around the room. It looked just like a regular apartment, somewhat dated but nothing unusual. She went over and looked at a wall clock that had the hands stuck, like they were trying to move but where stuck there. She was just about to reach out and give them a nudge when she heard her name called.
Mia was led into a small kitchen and was surprised to see an elderly black woman sitting there. The surprise must have shown on her face because the woman chuckled and said, "Yeah, everyone gives me that look when they first come see me. Well, have a seat and let me look at you." Mia stepped forward and sat down across from her. She watched as the Oracle took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. As she smoked, she just watched Mia and the silence seemed to stretch forever. The Oracle reached over and put out her cigarette in an ashtray on the table. She shook her head and said, "Mia, you don't know what you're messing with. You know what I'm talking about don't you?" Mia looked at her thinking, 'how could she know about Agent Smith?' Mia stammered, 'It could be a lot of things you're talking about. I'm not sure which one." The Oracle sighed and said, "Mia, he's a dangerous program, more dangerous than you know. But no matter what I tell you, you've already made up your mind haven't you?" Mia shook her head and said, "No. I mean… I'm not sure." The Oracle watched her and said, "You want to see him again, isn't that right?" Mia looked away. Her mind was reeling, there was no way this woman could know about her and Agent Smith but she knew…" Mia nodded her head yes and said, "He said he wants to learn about what makes us human. The counsel thinks it's a good idea." The Oracle was still watching her and said, "Well, what do you think about it? Do you think it's a good idea?" Mia fidgeted and said, "I didn't at first. But he's interesting to talk to and I hate to say it but I find him fascinating." The Oracle shook her head and said, "Well kid, I think both of you don't really know what your getting yourselves into. Him more so than you but I can tell you this, Mia once he has you he won't want to let you go. He's used to things being his way and that's the only way." Mia looked over at the Oracle and said, "If you tell me not to see him again, I won't. The Oracle reached for another cigarette and said, "But you do want to see him again don't you? You came here thinking that no matter what I was going to tell you, you were going to see him. Am I right?" Mia could only stare at her and stammered, "I was going to tell him that we couldn't… That I…" She couldn't finish the sentence and just stared at the floor. The Oracle leaned forward and said, "Mia, if you see him again, you both are going to go places neither one of you are expecting. It could be a good thing or a bad thing as sex always changes things. I must admit that I am surprised as this is something programs like him don't usually do. I guess they always could, but finding the desire to do it, is something else entirely. I wonder how much of this is to do with him needing and wanting to expand his own programming. I honestly don't know if this is something the Mainframe would even suggest. Well, I wish you luck kid because you're both going to need it. " The Oracle stood and Mia knew her meeting was over. She turned and asked, "What will happen if I never see him again?" The Oracle lit her cigarette and said, "Well I suppose he would be left wondering what ever happened to you and the funny part is, he would wonder. As for you, I think you would eventually stop dreaming of him." Mia couldn't think of a reply as she was led from the room. As she entered the waiting area, Captain Jackson stood to greet her. He smiled and said, "I think everyone who has come out of that door after talking with her all have the same reaction." Mia could only nod, she was still too numb to speak.
The Oracle watched Mia leave and put out her cigarette. She knew who Agent Smith was – everyone knew who he was. She knew one thing for sure, the Mainframe was totally unaware of Agent Smith's plans. She knew they would recall him for a full dialogistic if they even had a hint that he was trying to take a human lover. She wondered what he was up to and ran through all possible motives but couldn't come up with any that made sense. She shook her head, the idea of him just being curious enough to try something like this, made her nervous. This whole situation could turn out very badly for everyone involved.
Captain Jackson and Mia left the apartment and she followed him down stairs and into the car without a word. She had to think about everything that was said and try and figure out what she was going to do about it.
They all made it to their exit and out of the Matrix with out any glitches. Mia wanted to be alone and headed off towards her secret place in the storage area. She sat down and leaned against the cold metal of the wall and used it to try to clear her mind. She went over the whole conversation with the Oracle in her head. She leaned her head into her hands and wondered how she got into such a mess. 'Why me? she thought – 'why did he pick me?' There had to be something wrong with her that she found him attractive – she had to be some sort of freak. There also had to be something wrong with his programming. Agent programs just didn't start wanting to sleep with humans. She thought that maybe she should have told the Oracle about him taking the ear piece out when ever he wanted to ask her something personal. Did that mean that he kept his word and had not told the Mainframe about him wanting them to become lovers? She thought about it and every time he had some personal contact, he was always disconnected from the mainframe. She was now more confused than ever. She would ask him out right the next time she saw him. She thought back to the conversation with the Oracle and something struck her. Would he actually wonder about her if she never went back? She would worry about this later, right now her head hurt and she needed some sleep.