"Bree?"
"Yes, Tron."
"What was Neo like?"
Bree stopped in her tracks, turning around to look at Tron. The question had puzzled her momentarily, but then she realized she couldn't have expected not to have anyone ask her about Neo. Instead of becoming harsh and just ordering Tron to continue following her, she carefully considered how to answer. Neo had been many things, but it was hard just to pinpoint an overall description.
"He was everything a person should be. He did what was right, even if it meant he would die. The ones he loved he protected, by any means necessary. But more then all that he cared, for anyone and anything. Even though there were times he would have rather been somewhere else, he always helped those who needed him. I loved him for all those reasons and more, and I miss him terribly." Yeah, that about covered it.
There was nothing more said between them. Nothing more needed to be said. Bree was vaguely aware that she had never really told all of that to anyone. They both just continued walking, until Bree halted so suddenly that Tron collided into her. She managed to stay on her feet, but Tron fell to the ground with a thud. In front of them was a building, typical in its size, shape, and color. It was an apartment building.
"Bree, what are you doing?" Tron said as he slowly stood up and dusted himself off, "We're not there yet are we?"
"No, I have a stop to make first," she replied. In reality, she shouldn't be stopping, but she had to do this first. She nodded her head toward the building and led Tron inside.
There was nothing at all special about this building, and it looked just as ordinary on the inside as it did outside. The front desk was dusty and deserted. As they began to climb the battered staircase the steps groaned in protest beneath their weight. The green paint on many of the doors was peeling and coming off, making them look old and wise, as though they held some greater knowledge where ever they led to. It was in front of one of these doors that Bree made another sudden stop. This time Tron managed not to run into her.
This door was no different than the others. Its paint may have peeled off more then the others, but it was still green. At least, it looked kind of green. There was a golden plate on the door that had the numbers 688 on it. It gleamed dully in the flickering fluorescent bulbs that lit the musty hallways. A matching doorknob was screwed to one side, but it had a beckoning glint to it. Bree reached for it, wrapping her hand around its round, smooth surface. With a gentle turn the door opened.
Even inside the room nothing appeared strange. There was a small hallway leading to a living room that consisted of mismatched furniture. The entire place smelled of carpet cleaner and mothballs. The television was on in the corner, being viewed by only a single child who seemed to be more concerned with moving the antenna by staring at it. He was doing pretty well. He looked away from the T.V. for a moment to smile and wave his small hand at Bree and Tron. There were a few other people in the room but they barely even glanced up when the two newcomers entered the room. Tron seemed to be finally realizing where they were.
"Bree, is this-"
"Yes it is," she told him before he even finished his sentence, "Go sit over there and wait for me, OK?" Tron looked slightly disappointed but he still nodded and did as he was told. He took a seat next to the telekinetic child. Bree glanced over at him once before stepping through the small doorway on the left that led to the kitchen.
Immediately she was engulfed by the smell of fresh-baked cookies. It brought a parade of happy memories traipsing through the forefront of her mind, each its own individual float with its own purpose. She saw Neo and Trinity, both of whom were gone. She also saw Ace and Circuit, both of whom were still alive…for the time being. This brought her mind out of its break from the pressing matter at hand and back into reality where things were not so cheery.
"I was expecting you," said the voice of the only other person in the kitchen besides Bree. She was a short African-American woman, with graying hair, and wrinkles that shamed the ripples in a pond. She was busy scooping the cookies Bree had smelt, chocolate chip, onto a plate with a spatula.
"You always expect me," Bree replied to her, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.
"Well, that is my job," the woman said, "To be the Oracle."
"Which is exactly what I need you to do now," Bree sighed and sat down in one of the plastic chairs sitting around a small dining table. "I need you to be the Oracle."
"You're worried about your friends." It wasn't a question. Bree nodded. "I would be too. You want to know what you can do to help them."
"Yes, I am confused and scared. I don't even know if they're alive."
"Oh, they're alive, but for how long I couldn't tell you." The Oracle had finished putting the cookies on the plate, and brought it with her over to the table where she sat down across from Bree.
"Cookie?" she asked politely.
"No thank you," Bree answered, glancing over at the clock which hung on the wall. Time was passing quickly.
"I know about your meeting with Neo," the Oracle said conversationally as she took a bite of a cookie. She inhaled sharply and quickly swallowed the bite. "They're still a little hot." Brees impatience was growing.
"What about my meeting Neo a couple weeks ago?" Bree asked her, her voice sounding a little more annoyed then she had wanted it to. The Oracle just smiled.
"He told you some things about what the machines are planning to do, which may or may not have been to your advantage given what has happened. He, however, did not get to finish his final statement to you."
"I already told him that it's impossible for me to be the One." Bree had spent many hours convincing herself of this, but this woman was the Oracle. "He was the One. Morpheus unplugged me thinking I was, but it turned out I wasn't. You told me I wasn't and while you have been known to tell people what they need to hear instead of what was necessarily the truth, if I were the One then how could Neo be the One." Bree took a deep breath, having basically said that all in one breathe. The Oracle still continued to smile warmly.
"Did you ever stop to think that maybe he wasn't necessarily hinting that you might be the One?" she asked Bree curiously. When Bree didn't answer her, she continued. "That much power in one human being doesn't just disappear when the person does. Where do you think it all goes?" Bree thought about it for a second, and then shook her head.
"I don't know," she said simply.
"It transfers to another human being, preferably someone similar to the original holder of the power. Do you seeing where I'm going?"
"Yes, I do, but-"
"No buts. That's just the way things are. Now, I know you don't want to believe it because you don't want to think there was anyone as powerful as Neo, but if you want to save your friends then you're going to have to." An oven timer beeped a few moments later. The old woman stood up from her chair.
"Now, I have other things to do," she said to Bree, who stood up as well.
"Thank you for your help," Bree said, and then she quickly left the kitchen. The Oracle smiled after her.
"She'll do just fine," she said aloud as she pulled the next batch of cookies from the oven.
The living room was deserted when Bree stepped back through the doorway. The television was still on, but there was no one watching it now, not even the little boy. When she didn't immediately see Tron, Bree began to panic a little bit. Her heart began beating faster as adrenaline was pumped throughout her body and her skin began to tingle with nervous energy. Just before she was about to completely freak out, Tron stepped out of the bathroom on the right. Brees relief was apparent.
"Don't do that," she told him breathlessly without an explanation, and then she turned and walked out the door the gold plate reading 688 on it. Tron hurriedly followed behind her.
"So what did she tell you?" he asked as he shut the door behind them. Bree was already heading for the stairs. Tron had to run to catch up.
"Wait," she told him cryptically.
The two of them were down the stairs, out the front door and walking briskly down the sidewalk again before Bree at least stopped. She looked around to see if anyone was watching them then grabbed onto Tron, who was catching his breath, and dragged him into an alley. She let go of him and began fumbling with the things at her belt.
"Bree what's going on?" he asked cautiously. Bree didn't answer them. She simply grabbed a gun that was attached to her built and checked to see of it was loaded. This seemed to make Tron feel even more wary. When she was sure it had bullets in it she tossed to him. He just barely caught it.
"Now stay here," she said as she walked further down the alley. Stopping several yards away from him she turned around, her expression completely blank.
"Shoot at me," she told him plainly.
"What?" he shouted.
"Shoot a bullet at me." Her face showed nothing but seriousness.
"Bree I'm not going to shoot at you." With an exasperated sigh, Bree took another gun from her hip, held it up, and pointed it at Tron.
"Do it or I'll be the one shooting, and you know I don't want to do that." She watched as Trons eyes widened and he looked both betrayed and frightened. She, of course, would never actually shoot him, but it was the only way she could think of to get him to do what she asked.
"Ok," Tron finally said uncertainly. He lifted to gun up and aimed at Bree. She focused her grey eyes on the muzzle of the gun pointed at her, concentrating on what was going to happen.
With a wince Tron pulled the trigger and a bullet came flying out of the barrel. Bree held up her hand, amazed yet comfortable with the remarkable speed it moved at. Just inches before it would have come in contact with her palm, the bullet froze in mid-air. She stared at it in a dazed stupor for what seemed like hours. Then she let her hand drop back to her side. The bullet fell from the atmosphere and hit the ground with a metallic clink. Bree took several deep breaths and stared at it, letting her brain process this evidence of what the Oracle had said. When it all became clear, she broke into a large smile and looked up at Tron who was gaping at her.
"Thank you," she said, walking back up to him and taking the gun from his hands. His mouth still hung open. He nodded and then followed her out of the alley.
As Bree led Tron further down their path to rescuing Ace, Circuit, and everyone else, she allowed herself to think about what the Oracle had said. Had she really thought that by thinking she now carried the same powers as Neo, he would lose his importance to her? She hoped not, because it would mean that his powers had overridden his other qualities in her mind. But, it was not time to dwell on this. She was the One, she had the power. It was time to, in a manner of speaking, fulfill her new destiny.