Chapter 24 Bruises
A cheer went up on board the Prometheus as Mia disappeared from their monitors. They watched as the Agents had stood in the hallway and then just simply left. Lewis looked over at another monitor and said," There's one Agent on his way up the steps and I would bet anything, it's that Agent Smith." Captain Jackson nodded to his crew as he went to check on how the rest of the crew was doing. One by one the crew drifted off to do other things leaving Lewis to watch the monitors and wait for Mia to call for an exit.
Mia lay on the floor and tried to sit up but winced and lay back down. She had run almost nonstop since she had been chased from the hotel and was only now catching her breath. She then rolled over and on to her stomach and tried to slowly get off the floor that way. She didn't want Smith to come in and see her like this. Mia managed to get herself into a kneeling position and sat back on her heels. Mia tried to make her mind believe that none of this was real. This was all just a computer simulation. She gingerly reached up and felt the blood encrusted on the cut she had on her cheek. Mia sighed, she was starting to feel every little nick and cut she had gotten since leaving the hotel. Her knuckles were skinned and her hands were cut from the fire escape. She closed her eyes, she was a mess. Mia tried to focus her mind and make herself believe that what she was feeling wasn't real. That the cuts and bruises weren't real and that her real body was back on board the Prometheus. She groaned as her body ached so bad she couldn't even think straight. She thought about getting up and going over to the sofa. She didn't want Smith to see her like this - if he came. She smiled and shook her head. It was his idea to go in through the roof. She tried to get up but decided that she would sit here only a few minutes longer and then would go wash.
Agent Smith watched as both Agents left the building and walked towards him. Agent Jones said, "The rebel was able to safely make it to the neutral area. She is there now." Agent Smith didn't answer and merely looked over at the building. Agent Jones did not expect an answer so he turned and headed back towards Head-Quarters. Agent Brown lingered and then just before he walked away, he turned and said, "I do not believe the female was seriously injured and I told her you would be pleased to see her." Smith turned towards Brown and his eyes widened behind the tint of his sun glasses as he watched Brown reconnect his ear piece and walk away.
Smith walked across the street and went into the building. He took the stairs as he was too impatient to wait for the elevator. He paused at the door for only long enough to remove his ear piece and then turned the handle and went in.
He saw Mia kneeling away from him with her head down. He reached up and removed his sunglasses, placing them in his jacket pocket. He took a step forward and called out,"Mia? Are you injured?" He bent down and picked up her broken sunglasses from the floor and placed them on the counter top and approached her. He stood behind her and called her again, "Mia?" Mia shook her head and answered," Smith, I'm okay. I'm - Just resting a minute. She closed her eyes and tried to focus all of her strength as she willed herself to stand. She slowly stood up and when she felt Smith's hands on her helping her up. She said, "I'm pretty banged up. I meant to wash up." Smith was still standing behind her and tried to turn her to face him but she resisted and said, "I'm a mess, don't look at me like this." He turned her around anyway and looked at her. He could see all the various cuts and bruises on her arms and hands. Mia smiled at him weakly and said, "I meant to get all dolled up before you got here - if you even came." Smith couldn't think of anything to say as he watched her sway on her feet. He reached out and scooped her into his arms and carried her to the sofa. He set her on the cushions and without saying a word, went into the kitchen. Mia could hear him out there and was surprised when he came back with a glass of iced tea and a wet washcloth. Mia looked at him as he sat down next to her and said, "Smith, I. They wouldn't let me see you anymore so I didn't see any point of coming back into the Matrix. I was afraid something like this would happen and it did." He handed Mia the cloth and said," I know. Turn around, your hair is all tangled." Mia gently wiped her face and winced as cold cloth made contact with her bruised skin. Smith handed Mia a piece of stick that was in her and taking it she laughed. She turned and faced him again and said, "Smith, thank you for helping me. They would have killed me had you not suggested the roof. Smith, I owe you my life." Smith looked at her and said," Mia, you are feeling better? As you said, you would like to wash those cuts. I think a cool shower may help you feel better. And as this was your old apartment, I am sure there is something here for you to wear." Mia looked at him and even though it was a simulation, the idea of washing the blood and dirt off sounded like a wonderful idea. She thought the idea over - why not she thought.
She slowly stood up and even though she felt exhausted, she knew her brain would tell her that a shower would feel wonderful. She looked back at Smith who was still sitting on the sofa and said, "If I'm not out on 20 minutes, come and get me. "
Smith had watched her walk away and wondered what it was that he was feeling. He knew it was something but what it was, he couldn't exactly describe. As he went through his programming, he found different words but not one to fully describe it. 'Feeling' he thought with a slight frown 'elation'. Yes, that was the word he wanted - elation. Smith was pleased to see her again and found the emotions it stirred curious. He heard the water start and waited until he knew she was in the water. He had to contact the mainframe. He banished all thoughts of her to his own firewall protected place and made the connection.
He explained that he had been successful in reopening dialogue between himself and the human female. He would have to proceed with caution after her encounter with Agents Brown and Jones. He listened as the Mainframe listed a series of questions it wanted answered. They seemed simple enough questions but he knew it was a around about way of getting the information it needed. Smith stressed the point of needing to build the appearance of trust up again and that it would take time. The Mainframe was silent for several seconds and Smith could almost hear the whirl of the thought processors as it was deciding what the best course of action was. He was answered that he should proceed but gain as much information as he could. Smith felt the mainframe disconnect and he was left alone with his thoughts. He slowly reached up and removed the ear piece and thought about the information just exchanged. The Mainframe wanted all rebels destroyed and it was his job to do it. The rebels were a virus that needed to be controlled. He was good at his job and took a certain amount of pride in his work. The rebels had become more brazen over the last few years and it had started to make his job more interesting but in the end, it started to get repetitive. When he was given the assignment of contacting a human female, he recalled the disgust he had felt. Smith sighed and shook his head. He never expected anything like this - never expected to find himself thinking about a stupid human female. He listened to the sound of the water in the shower and for the first time that he knew of, there was one piece of humanity that he didn't hate and her name was Mia.
Smith got the cell phone from his pocket that Mia had dropped in the stairwell and walked to the hallway. He stood with the door opened and hit the redial. The line answered at the other end. Smith heard the voice at the other end answer" Operator." and he knew at once who the voice was. He smiled and said, "Ah Mr. Lewis, I'm glad to hear that you have your voice back." When there was stunned silence on the other end, he continued, "Mia is uninjured." Lewis sat there stunned before finally answering, "Where is she? Let me talk with her." Smith smirked and said, "No, she can't come to the phone right now but I will tell her of your concern. She is washing the cuts and bruises she encountered during her flight from the Agents. I want to talk with her for a while afterwards and make sure she is alright. She will return in a few hours. Lewis looked around and seeing no one else was around whispered into the mike, "Smith, I know about you. What kind of sick twisted game are you playing? "The smirk faded from Smith's face as he said, "I am not playing any game with Mia. She is mine and I am hers. Simple as that. "Lewis' eyes widened in shock as he answered back," You're a program! How can you lay claim to a living person not within the Matrix?" Smith answered back, "When ever she comes into the Matrix she is mine. I will do what ever means necessary to protect her both inside and outside the Matrix. Tell me Mr. Lewis, how is it not to have to run and hide from the sentinels anymore?" Lewis shook his head and answered, "Have Mia contact me when she's ready for an exit." Smith smiled and answered, "She will need one in say - a few hours. We have 'a lot of catching up' to do." Smith clicked off the phone and went to get Mia. Her twenty minutes were up.
A cheer went up on board the Prometheus as Mia disappeared from their monitors. They watched as the Agents had stood in the hallway and then just simply left. Lewis looked over at another monitor and said," There's one Agent on his way up the steps and I would bet anything, it's that Agent Smith." Captain Jackson nodded to his crew as he went to check on how the rest of the crew was doing. One by one the crew drifted off to do other things leaving Lewis to watch the monitors and wait for Mia to call for an exit.
Mia lay on the floor and tried to sit up but winced and lay back down. She had run almost nonstop since she had been chased from the hotel and was only now catching her breath. She then rolled over and on to her stomach and tried to slowly get off the floor that way. She didn't want Smith to come in and see her like this. Mia managed to get herself into a kneeling position and sat back on her heels. Mia tried to make her mind believe that none of this was real. This was all just a computer simulation. She gingerly reached up and felt the blood encrusted on the cut she had on her cheek. Mia sighed, she was starting to feel every little nick and cut she had gotten since leaving the hotel. Her knuckles were skinned and her hands were cut from the fire escape. She closed her eyes, she was a mess. Mia tried to focus her mind and make herself believe that what she was feeling wasn't real. That the cuts and bruises weren't real and that her real body was back on board the Prometheus. She groaned as her body ached so bad she couldn't even think straight. She thought about getting up and going over to the sofa. She didn't want Smith to see her like this - if he came. She smiled and shook her head. It was his idea to go in through the roof. She tried to get up but decided that she would sit here only a few minutes longer and then would go wash.
Agent Smith watched as both Agents left the building and walked towards him. Agent Jones said, "The rebel was able to safely make it to the neutral area. She is there now." Agent Smith didn't answer and merely looked over at the building. Agent Jones did not expect an answer so he turned and headed back towards Head-Quarters. Agent Brown lingered and then just before he walked away, he turned and said, "I do not believe the female was seriously injured and I told her you would be pleased to see her." Smith turned towards Brown and his eyes widened behind the tint of his sun glasses as he watched Brown reconnect his ear piece and walk away.
Smith walked across the street and went into the building. He took the stairs as he was too impatient to wait for the elevator. He paused at the door for only long enough to remove his ear piece and then turned the handle and went in.
He saw Mia kneeling away from him with her head down. He reached up and removed his sunglasses, placing them in his jacket pocket. He took a step forward and called out,"Mia? Are you injured?" He bent down and picked up her broken sunglasses from the floor and placed them on the counter top and approached her. He stood behind her and called her again, "Mia?" Mia shook her head and answered," Smith, I'm okay. I'm - Just resting a minute. She closed her eyes and tried to focus all of her strength as she willed herself to stand. She slowly stood up and when she felt Smith's hands on her helping her up. She said, "I'm pretty banged up. I meant to wash up." Smith was still standing behind her and tried to turn her to face him but she resisted and said, "I'm a mess, don't look at me like this." He turned her around anyway and looked at her. He could see all the various cuts and bruises on her arms and hands. Mia smiled at him weakly and said, "I meant to get all dolled up before you got here - if you even came." Smith couldn't think of anything to say as he watched her sway on her feet. He reached out and scooped her into his arms and carried her to the sofa. He set her on the cushions and without saying a word, went into the kitchen. Mia could hear him out there and was surprised when he came back with a glass of iced tea and a wet washcloth. Mia looked at him as he sat down next to her and said, "Smith, I. They wouldn't let me see you anymore so I didn't see any point of coming back into the Matrix. I was afraid something like this would happen and it did." He handed Mia the cloth and said," I know. Turn around, your hair is all tangled." Mia gently wiped her face and winced as cold cloth made contact with her bruised skin. Smith handed Mia a piece of stick that was in her and taking it she laughed. She turned and faced him again and said, "Smith, thank you for helping me. They would have killed me had you not suggested the roof. Smith, I owe you my life." Smith looked at her and said," Mia, you are feeling better? As you said, you would like to wash those cuts. I think a cool shower may help you feel better. And as this was your old apartment, I am sure there is something here for you to wear." Mia looked at him and even though it was a simulation, the idea of washing the blood and dirt off sounded like a wonderful idea. She thought the idea over - why not she thought.
She slowly stood up and even though she felt exhausted, she knew her brain would tell her that a shower would feel wonderful. She looked back at Smith who was still sitting on the sofa and said, "If I'm not out on 20 minutes, come and get me. "
Smith had watched her walk away and wondered what it was that he was feeling. He knew it was something but what it was, he couldn't exactly describe. As he went through his programming, he found different words but not one to fully describe it. 'Feeling' he thought with a slight frown 'elation'. Yes, that was the word he wanted - elation. Smith was pleased to see her again and found the emotions it stirred curious. He heard the water start and waited until he knew she was in the water. He had to contact the mainframe. He banished all thoughts of her to his own firewall protected place and made the connection.
He explained that he had been successful in reopening dialogue between himself and the human female. He would have to proceed with caution after her encounter with Agents Brown and Jones. He listened as the Mainframe listed a series of questions it wanted answered. They seemed simple enough questions but he knew it was a around about way of getting the information it needed. Smith stressed the point of needing to build the appearance of trust up again and that it would take time. The Mainframe was silent for several seconds and Smith could almost hear the whirl of the thought processors as it was deciding what the best course of action was. He was answered that he should proceed but gain as much information as he could. Smith felt the mainframe disconnect and he was left alone with his thoughts. He slowly reached up and removed the ear piece and thought about the information just exchanged. The Mainframe wanted all rebels destroyed and it was his job to do it. The rebels were a virus that needed to be controlled. He was good at his job and took a certain amount of pride in his work. The rebels had become more brazen over the last few years and it had started to make his job more interesting but in the end, it started to get repetitive. When he was given the assignment of contacting a human female, he recalled the disgust he had felt. Smith sighed and shook his head. He never expected anything like this - never expected to find himself thinking about a stupid human female. He listened to the sound of the water in the shower and for the first time that he knew of, there was one piece of humanity that he didn't hate and her name was Mia.
Smith got the cell phone from his pocket that Mia had dropped in the stairwell and walked to the hallway. He stood with the door opened and hit the redial. The line answered at the other end. Smith heard the voice at the other end answer" Operator." and he knew at once who the voice was. He smiled and said, "Ah Mr. Lewis, I'm glad to hear that you have your voice back." When there was stunned silence on the other end, he continued, "Mia is uninjured." Lewis sat there stunned before finally answering, "Where is she? Let me talk with her." Smith smirked and said, "No, she can't come to the phone right now but I will tell her of your concern. She is washing the cuts and bruises she encountered during her flight from the Agents. I want to talk with her for a while afterwards and make sure she is alright. She will return in a few hours. Lewis looked around and seeing no one else was around whispered into the mike, "Smith, I know about you. What kind of sick twisted game are you playing? "The smirk faded from Smith's face as he said, "I am not playing any game with Mia. She is mine and I am hers. Simple as that. "Lewis' eyes widened in shock as he answered back," You're a program! How can you lay claim to a living person not within the Matrix?" Smith answered back, "When ever she comes into the Matrix she is mine. I will do what ever means necessary to protect her both inside and outside the Matrix. Tell me Mr. Lewis, how is it not to have to run and hide from the sentinels anymore?" Lewis shook his head and answered, "Have Mia contact me when she's ready for an exit." Smith smiled and answered, "She will need one in say - a few hours. We have 'a lot of catching up' to do." Smith clicked off the phone and went to get Mia. Her twenty minutes were up.