Chapter 2

It was the very next day and Jackson would meet up with Seraph. Seraph was sitting at a laptop sipping on a latte in the local neighborhood 24 hour Starbucks when he walked in. It was late at night, about 1 a.m.

"I was expecting you." Seraph said looking up from his laptop.

"I'm ..." Jackson started to speak.

"I know, you're Agent Jackson." He said as he took a sip of his latte. "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" He offered.

"Uh, no thanks. I'm trying to cut down on my caffeine." Jackson said.

Jackson took his seat across from Seraph. A few moments later a very attractive woman in a black suit and shades walked in. Her copper red hair was pilled back tightly into a bun and as it contrasted with her pale skin. Jackson also noticed that she too wore an earpiece so he assumed that she too was a fellow agent. She looked in Seraph's and Jackson's direction as she walked towards them.

"Hello, gentlemen." Said the female Agent.

Seraph looked up at her.

"Hello Agent St. James. Please have a seat." Seraph offered.

"Don't mind if I do." She said.

She took her place next to Seraph and removed her sunglasses revealing her unnaturally deep blue eyes. Jackson could not help but be reminded of Smith when he looked into her eyes. It was like he was looking at his predecessor again only this time in a different form.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No. I'm Agent Jackson." He answered.

"Oh yes, I have heard so much about you." She said.

The tone also seemed to match Smith in every way, except hers was more feminine. Jackson couldn't help be creeped out a little by her. Jackson started to speak.

"As you know, I am going to need every detail of all the murders that have went on. But for now, I only ask if you have any theories as to who the killer may be?"

Agent St. James raised a single eyebrow at Jackson's question.

"What?" Seraph asked.

Jackson took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"What I am asking is, is there any one person you might suspect here in the city."

"We were afraid of this."

Agent St. James shot Seraph a stern look.

"Well Jackson... you are aware... to be honest, you were not what we expected in an upgrade. We sent for a detective." Agent St. James said.

"Being a detective is my specialty now." Jackson answered.

"But back in the day you were programed to shoot first and ask questions later." She said.

"Well those days were very different. As you can tell, criminology is my specialty now." Jackson told her.

"You know instead analyzing what his original purpose was for, why don't we ask him how much his superiors have bothered to tell him about this case." Seraph told her.

"Alright, please tell us what you know Jackson." St. James said.

"Well I do know that at least three were killed, one of them being human, all of them beheaded." Jackson answered.

"Their heads were never found actually. Only their bodies." St.James told him.

Seraph leaned closer to Jackson.

"The reason they were never found is some say they were taken by Headless Agent Program. Taken to a part of the mainframe they call hell."

Jackson could not believe what Seraph was saying.

"Excuse me?" Jackson asked as he raised on eyebrow from behind his dark shades.

"I think it's time you knew the whole story Jackson." St. James said.

The three of them sat in the empty coffeehouse as Seraph told the story as to how the legend came to be.

"The Agent... he was a copy of Smith. Before Smith cloned him he was a skilled sword fighter and the best of the best. It was the day of the battle on the playground just after Neo beat the crap out you and your fellow upgrades."

It was all coming back to Jackson now, he had remembered being defeated by The One that day and feeling like he had not lived up to his programming. Seraph continued to tell the story.

"Well the clone fought Neo as Smith and his fellow copies watched. Metal clashed and clanged and then with one swift move it was all over. Neo chopped off the copy's head. Some say it rolled off never to be found again. Some say they have seen the Agent and to look upon him would make your blood run cold." Seraph told him.

"Are you trying to tell me that a ghost is responsible for this?" Jackson asked in disbelief.

"The copy has been in search of head to suit him all this time. But no one knows why the murders have been more frequent." Seraph added.

"I think it's very clear why gentlemen, The people of this city have been trying to hide their bad deeds behind closed doors. Their failed faith has saturated the pavement and called forth this Agent from hell." St. James said.

"Excuse me, but seriously. Who has seen ... this Agent?" Jackson asked.

"Many people in the matrix, both human and program have seen him." Seraph said.

"Then, name one person in the mainframe who has seen him with their own eyes." Jackson challenged.

Neither Agent St. James or Seraph could answer. Jackson spoke again.

"Well, I will do everything I can to find this killer, but I will look for a human or a program. Not some Agent from hell."

Jackson excused himself and walked out of the coffee shop. The night was brisk as he breathed the night air deep into his lungs.

"Headless Agent my ass." He said to himself.

He continued to walk down the street, the moon was full and the streets were silent. He could have sworn that there was someone behind him as he heard footsteps. Or was his mind playing tricks on him?

He paused, the footsteps stopped as he quickly turned around. There was no one behind him.

"Okay. My mind is messing with me and it's late." He said to himself.

He continued to walk and then he heard the footsteps again. He continued to walked as he reached inside his jacket to pull out his gun. A few seconds later a black cat howled as it jumped in front of him and ran off. Jackson jumped.

"Jesus Christ!" He took a deep breath.

"Keep it together, Jackson! It was only a cat. I'm an Agent. Agents don't get scared." He said to himself.

He continued to walk as the footsteps got louder, He quickened his pace but it was no use, they were getting closer and closer and closer. Finally he with drew his gun and pointed it in the face of none other than Persephone. He realized it was her and put withdrew his weapon.

"I'm sorry, I..." He started to apologize.

Persephone was holding her chest in fright.

"It was my fault Agent Jackson. I should have let you know it was me in the first place." She said.

Jackson put his gun back in his jacket.

"You scared the shit out of me." He said.

"Are you alright?" She asked him.

"Yeah, I'm cool. What are you doing out this late?" He asked.

"Oh I'm a creature of nocturnal habit really. I usually take my walks at night." She said as she gave the Agent a smile that could melt even the iciest of demeanors.

"What are you doing out?" She asked.

"I had to meet with Seraph and Agent St. James."

"Oh yes, I know her." Persephone said in a dismissive tone.

"I take it you two don't get along?" Jackson asked.

"We tolerate each other." Persephone said.

"It's getting late and I have to be getting home." Jackson offered.

"How about I walk there with you." Persephone offered.

"But how will you get home?"

She pulled out her cell phone.

"I have the twins at my disposal, being the French man's wife has it perks." She answered with a smile.

She dialed the number and not too long after that, One was on the line.

"Hello Mistress. Ready to go home?" He asked.

"Yes, but I'm going to be walking Agent Jackson home first. Can you meet me in front of his apartment in say ten minutes?"

"No problem. Two and I will be there shortly."

"Alright, darlings see you then."

And they hung up leaving Persephone and Jackson to walk over to his apartment building.

Once they were there Persephone kissed Jackson on the cheek and got into the limo where the twins were waiting.

"Have a good night." She said.

"You too." Jackson said still a little surprised by the peck on the cheek.

She watched as Jackson stepped inside and then the limo pulled away. Two looked over his shoulder at Persephone with a smile.

"I think he's kind of cute." Two told her.

Persephone smiled back.

"Yes, he is cute." She agreed.

"Girlfriend, if it were me, I would have jumped him right there." Two said.

"Two you're terrible!" Persephone said.

"Personally I wouldn't mind Agent St. James myself." One said with a grin.

"Ew!" Both Two and Persephone said.

"Hey, I'm the straight one here! I can't help that. I think redheads in black suits are hot." One said.

"But we love you in spite of your imperfections brother dear." Two told him.

One flipped his gay brother the bird.

"Love you too bro." He said with a smile.

Jackson stepped inside of his apartment and flopped down on his bed. Tomorrow would be a new day.