17. Everything That Has A Beginning Has An End
"Ouch," Enigma winced as Neo helps her stand up.
He checks her stomach, makes sure she's okay first. He doesn't know how exactly his pain can get to hers, which just worries him more. "Stay here," he gently said despite still hurt, jumping down onto the tracks. He start running in the same direction the train went. Enigma watches him go before he returns in the opposite direction. "Shit," he cursed.
Enigma sighs sadly. So the only way to get out is the train only. "Guess that means we're stuck here," the blonde girl remarked. "Until someone rescues us." She pauses. "Trinity's gonna be piss now."
Neo nods. That, he can agree. "Still hurt?" He asked as they sit down on a bench.
Enigma gently held her stomach. "A little," she remarked. "Not sure how though. Maybe since we share The One's codes, we can feel each other's pain?"
"Your guess is good as mine," he shrugs, letting her lean closer to him.
▪︎1001▪︎
In a Hel Club, Seraph, Morpheus, and Trinity enter, holding guns at each other hands as they're moving into the crowd, back to back, looking for something.
On a railed platform, at the far end of the club, Merovingian frowns. "What in the hell?" He starts laughing. "I don't believe this." He stands up. "Hey. Hey!" He shouted and the DJ stops the music. "The prodigal child returns. L'ange sans Ailes. Are you here for the bounty, Seraph?" He laughs. "Tell me, how many bullets are there in those guns? I don't know, but I don't think you have enough."
Seraph stares at his former boss. "We only want to talk."
"Oh yes, I'm sure you do, you have fought through hell to do so, yes? I'll tell you what I'll do. Put down the guns and I will promise you safe passage out of here."
"All three of us?"
"Oh yes, yes. Of course."
Slowly, Seraph, Morpheus, and Trinity lower down their guns and peoples take those. They're climbing the stairs, followed by Merovingian's armies.
"Quelle bonne surprise, n'est pas? Who could've guessed we'd all be seeing each other so soon after our last meeting? A fate too kind. And since you, my little Judas, have brought them here, I can only surmise that the fortune teller has found herself another shell?" Merovingian pondered. Seraph stays quiet, but Morpheus and Trinity know he's tense. "Disappointing, but not unexpected. I do hope, however, she has the good manners to learn her lesson, and to remember that there is no action without consequence. And if you take something from me you will pay the price."
"You know why we are here," Seraph said.
The Frenchman chuckles as he eats an olive. "Come, now. What kind of question is this? Of course, I know. It's my business to know. Some might think this a strange coincidence, but I do not. I am curious, though, as to how it actually happened. Do you know?"
"No," Trinity replied shortly.
"No? I didn't think so. Maybe young Red Queen knows. She does have 'the Sight', after all," he commented, making a finger quote. "But it is always best to ask."
"We want to make a deal," Morpheus proposed.
Merovingian chuckles again. "Always straight to business, huh, Morpheus?" He smiles. "Okay. I have something you want. To make a deal, you must have something I want, yes? And it so happens there is something I want. Something I've wanted ever since I first came here." He slides the last olive into his mouth. "It is said they cannot be taken, they can only be given."
"What?"
"The eyes of the Oracle," he claimed. Seraph looks incredibly in conflict. "I have told you before, there's no escaping the nature of the universe. It is that nature that has again brought you to me. Where some see coincidence, I see consequence. Where others see chance, I see cost." He drinks his martini. "Bring me the eyes of the Oracle, and I will give you back your saviors. That seems a particularly fair and reasonable deal to me. Yes? no?"
Trinity can't deal with this jerk anymore. "I don't have time for this shit," she decided and proceed to attack.
Seraph and Morpheus also do so. Seraph kicks one of the guns, spinning into mid-air as more people approach them, ready for a counterattack. Trinity glances up, noticing the gun, and quickly grabs it before swiftly pointing its mouth at Merovingian's forehead, not even bothering that more guns pointing at her head or her comrades. "You want to make a deal, how about this? You give me Neo and Enigma or we all die right here, right now," she insisted.
Merovingian stares at her. "Interesting deal. You are really ready to die for this man? For this child?"
She cocks the gun. "Believe it," she declared with conviction. She'll do anything to keep them safe. Even if it means her death.
"She'll do it," Persephone remarked, sensing how far she'll do. "If she has to, she'll kill every one of us. She's in love."
"It is remarkable how similar the pattern of love is to the pattern of insanity," Merovingian contended.
But Trinity doesn't care about that, only focusing on one thing. "Time's up. What's it gonna be, Merv?"
▪︎1001▪︎
"Okay," Neo mumbled, holding Enigma's hand that lay on top of his lap. "We got ourselves into this. We can get ourselves out."
He starts closing his eyes, but only gets an image. Three black lines across a brimstone desert. He opens his eyes, shocked.
"What is it?" Enigma asked, tilting her head, concerned.
Before he can answer, they find the Train entering the station. Both stand up, wondering what's happening. But they got their answer when Trinity exited the train.
"Trin!" Enigma gasped, running to her as Trinity kneels, hugging her tight, looking relief beyond anything.
After a minute passed, she let go and stridden closer to Neo, throwing her arms around him.
"Tell me I'm not dreaming," he whispered.
She kisses him. "Does this feel like a dream?" She asked.
"No," he smiles.
"Then you're not dreaming."
▪︎1001▪︎
"Seraph," Enigma spoke after some time passed in the car. "Can you take us to the Oracle?"
Morpheus looks at the blonde from the mirror. "Why?"
"We can't leave yet," Neo answered.
Trinity looks over at him and Enigma, worried.
"We have to see her," he added.
"Now?"
"This is our last chance."
▪︎1001▪︎
As they're entering her apartment, both Neo and Enigma can hear the Oracle and Sati speaking inside the kitchen.
"That's it. That's the secret. You've got to use your hands," the Oracle spoke gently.
"Why?" Sati asked.
"Cookies need love like everything does."
When they enter the kitchen, both stop working. "Neo! Enigma!" Sati cheered.
The Oracle stares at them, surprised. "I was hoping to have these done before you two got here. Oh well." She glances at Sati. "Sati, honey, I think it's time for a tasting. Take the bowl to Seraph and find out if they're ready. Enigma can help you with that."
"Okay," Sati nods, taking the big bowl. "I'm glad you two got out," she said.
Neo smiles. "Me too," he replied before Sati and Enigma disappeared. Neo can tell this conversation is too private for Enigma to listen to.
The older woman walks to the sink, washing her hands. "So, do you recognize me?"
"A part of you."
"Yeah, that's how it works. Some bits you lose, some bits you keep. I don't yet recognize my face in the mirror, but," she takes a candy. "I still love candy."
"No, thank you," he kindly declined her offer. "What happens?"
"I made a choice." The Oracle smiles fondly. "Choice. The gift we are forever unwrapping. And you know better than most that certain choices can forever change our lives. Sometimes, those changes are visible. Sometimes, they're not. Remember what you were like when you first walked through my door, jittery as a Junebug? And now just look at you. You sure did surprise me, Neo. You and Enigma still do."
"You gave me a few surprises, too."
"I hope I helped," she said before sitting down on a chair.
"You helped me and Enigma to get here," Neo pauses, "but my question is why? Where does this go? Where does it end?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know or you won't tell me?"
"I told you before. No one can see beyond a choice they don't understand, and I mean no one."
"What choice?"
"It doesn't matter. It's my choice. I have mine to make, same as you have yours."
"Does that include what things to tell me and what not to tell me?"
"Of course not."
"Then why didn't you tell me about the Architect? Why didn't you tell me about Zion, the Ones before me, why didn't you tell me the truth?"
"Because it wasn't time for you to know."
"Who decided it wasn't time?"
"You know who," she alluded at the Temet Nosce sign above the door.
"I did," Neo admitted, looking at her again. "Then I think it's time for me to know a few more things."
"So do I."
"Tell me how we separated our mind from our body without jacking in. Tell me how we stopped four sentinels by thinking it. Tell me how we share each other's pain whenever one of us gets hurt. Tell me just what the hell is happening to us."
The Oracle takes a cigarette, lights it on, and exhales. "The power of the One extends beyond this world. It reaches from here all the way back to where it came from. That's why you and Enigma can share each other's pain."
"Where?"
"The Source. That's what you and Enigma felt when you two touched those Sentinels. But you two weren't ready for it. You two should be dead, but apparently you two weren't ready for that, either."
"The Architect told us that if we didn't return to the Source, Zion would be destroyed by midnight tonight," Neo recalled.
The Oracle rolls her eyes. "Please... You two and I may not be able to see beyond our own choices, but that man can't see past any choices."
"Why not?"
"He doesn't understand them. He can't. To him, they are variables in an equation. One at a time each variable must be solved and countered. That's his purpose: to balance an equation."
Neo frowns. "What's your purpose?"
"To unbalance it."
"Why? What do you want?"
"I want the same thing you want, Neo. And I am willing to go as far as you are to get it."
"The end of the war," he guessed and she nods. "Is it going to end?"
"One way, or another."
That's not assuring at all. "Can Zion be saved?"
"I'm sorry, I don't have the answer to that question, but," she glances at him, "if there's an answer, there's only one place you're going to find it."
"Where?"
"You know where. And if you or Enigma can't find the answer, then I'm afraid there may be no tomorrow for any of us."
"What does that mean?"
She puts down her cigarette. "Everything that has a beginning has an end. I see the end coming. I see the darkness spreading. I see death. And you are all that stands in his way."
"Smith," Neo realized. The man that keeps getting into his way from the very beginning. The man who scar Enigma to this very day.
"Very soon he's going to have the power to destroy this world, but I believe he won't stop there," she continued, "he can't. He won't stop until there's nothing left at all."
"What is he?"
"He is you. Your opposite, your negative, the result of the equation trying to balance itself out."
"What if I can't stop him?"
She pauses a moment. "One way or another, Neo, this war is going to end. Tonight, the future of both worlds will be in your hands... or in his."
"And Enigma? Will she be part of this too?"
For a moment, Neo can see guilt and sadness in the corner of her eyes. "She had a part in this too, as well as others," she asserted. "Whatever you or others will do will shape her, now or later."
"Must she?" He can't help but ask that.
"That's her choice, Neo. She must choose her path, for better or worse."
"Despite how dangerous it might become?"
"Yes," the Oracle imparted, looks calm, which he doesn't know what to say about that when speaking about Enigma, about her burden she shouldn't have.
His jaw clenches. He sincerely hoped the Oracle's answer didn't indicate what he was afraid of, what he wanted to avoid. But he knew it was all naive thinking. This war doesn't take into account the age or readiness of everyone involved. Like it or not, Enigma must face all these trials like others, even though she's not an adult.
▪︎1001▪︎
As he exits the kitchen, he frowns when notices a few cookie doughs stick around her mouth.
"I only tasted some," she exclaimed with a hint of panic. Seraph's and Sati's face saying otherwise.
"Of course," he understood, despite the heavy conversation before killing him inside.
"What's wrong?" She inquired, noticing how different his expression was after coming out of the kitchen.
"Nothing," he assured his daughter while wiping her mouth. "You can talk to her."
▪︎1001▪︎
The Oracle smiles as Enigma steps inside. "Hello, Little One."
"Hello," she shyly replied, looking distant while looking at Temet Nosce signs above. "I want to warn you..." she stops, watches her intensely which reminds the old woman of her mother. "But I don't know what to say."
She quietly observes her. Enigma doesn't know why, but she can feel it. Her Sight's intuition is getting stronger by the days. "I know what you mean," she imparted, touching her jaw lightly. "But I'm afraid there's nothing you can do about it."
"Nothing?" She repeated, scared.
"Nothing."
Her eyes welled up. "If this is going to be the last time I see you," she bawled and then hug her tight. "I want you to know..."
The Oracle softly pats her hair before kissing her forehead. "I know, Little One," she lamented. "I know."
She sighs, wipes out her tears, puts her brave face like a brave soldier she always displays, before leaving the kitchen, not even turning her back.
