Chapter 1

She ran as she never did in her whole life. The black woman was being pursued by two tall and very white men. No, not men. Vampires. And they worked for the Merovingian.

Niobe had something he wanted: a message from the Oracle. No one knew where she was since the truce between humans and machines. Now, for some reason, she had sent a letter to the humans, but not to ordinary ones.

Seraph, her guardian phoned the (second) Nebuchadnezzar. That message was addressed to this crew.

Just two blocks from here, Niobe thought, while running and firing casually her opponents behind her.

She turned the corner, saw her exit and heard the phone ringing. In less than a minute she had returned to the real world.

'You made it!' she heard Link shouting.

'Tell me something I don't know' Niobe said calmly while Sparks took the spike off her head.

'Hey, there is no need to be rude, mistress second-in-command!' Link defended.

Niobe glared at him.

'Now show us what's on that disk, will you Link' Ghost just entered the broadcasting room.

'Shouldn't we wait for the captain?' Sparks asked.

'I'm here' Morpheus said. 'Link…'

The operator nodded and put the disk running.

The Oracle's voice was heard in the Neb, making all of them remember old memories.

'The time has come. Justice will be made. Light will spread again. There is someone who needs to be freed. Be ready.'

There was a long silence, but finally Sparks asked, 'Has anyone understood anything?'

'Don't look at me pal' Link said.

'Captain…' Ghost said waiting for an answer.

Morpheus turned around to go away and just said 'We're going to wait'.

'Ma'am…' Ghost wanted an answer.

'I don't know. Morpheus was the last person who talked to her. It was two years ago and it was about…' Niobe didn't finish.

'You think, now, it may have something to do with Him?' Ghost asked.

'I have no idea' she answered.

'I'm sorry to interrupt' Sparks started, 'but Ma'am, you're bleeding.'

Niobe put her hand in her head, 'It was that bastard and his vampires. Don't worry, I'll take care of it'. And Niobe headed to the medical bay.

'Link, I need to go to the garden, now.' Ghost said.

Link was about to say out loud "You miss her a lot" but decided against it.

After two days, Sparks was starting to think this wasn't a very good idea. Their mission was to free as many minds as they could. Dreadbolt would be pissed when he discovered that they had passed two days waiting for a word of the prophet. They did not even know if she was about to contact them. Sparks expressed his feelings at breakfast in the third day:

'I know my opinion doesn't count but I'll communicate it anyway. I think this is a waste of time. How do we know she is going to call? And if she does, you can't believe her. C'mon, the prophecy and everything. Look where it took Neo…he's…' Sparks never ended this phrase.

Niobe punched the table, got up, glared at him and said, making every word more violent than the previous one 'Goddamn you Sparks. Shut the fuck up. You have THREE OPTIONS NOW: 1st-You shut up and eat your goop; 2nd- You shut up and go to the operating chair and wait for her; or 3rd- You shut up and stay like that until we drop you in Zion.'

No one has ever seen Niobe shouting like this. Well, maybe Morpheus, because he was the only one that didn't look afraid.

Sparks opened his mouth to apologize, but Niobe cut him dangerously 'another word and we drop you right here.'

Sparks nodded and got out of the kitchen.

Niobe sat again, taking a deep breath.

Although, the next second Sparks re-entered the kitchen.

Niobe asked for patience and in a controlled, however, dangerous voice, she asked 'What now?'

He nodded at the broadcasting area.

'Talk!' she said with her voice rising.

Sparks said one word 'Seraph.'

Everyone looked at him, waiting for a proper answer.

Sparks raised an eyebrow 'Well he's on the phone…'

Morpheus ran to the operating chair.

When the rest of the crew reached him, he had already talked to the Guardian of the Oracle.

'We'll broadcast in an hour' he said.