18. Sight Of The Present
Neo opens his eyes. Beside him are Morpheus and Trinity, both relieved and curious.
"How are you feeling? Are you all right?" Trinity kindly inquired.
He nods as Trinity slides the needle from his head. Neo hauls himself out of the chair. Everyone's gathering around him, staring like waiting for his signal. "Where's Enigma?"
"She's in Maggie's room," Roland answered, cross his arms over his chest. "Over-exhaused."
Neo nods again, remembered that from Morpheus after they got him and Enigma out of Mobil Ave. "I need time," he simply denoted before leaving the main deck, needing his daughter more than ever.
▪︎1001▪︎
The Oracle and Sati are near the oven, baking the cookies. The older woman cracks the door and takes a good whiff. "Mmm, I love that smell. I sure am gonna miss it," she acknowledged, recalling how excited Enigma was whenever she visited and ate her cookies.
She will miss that child so much.
Seraph enters the kitchen. "Oracle."
"I know, I know," she responded. "Sati, honey! Take a few cookies and go with Seraph."
"What about the rest?" She wondered as the Oracle was packing.
"Don't worry. I'll finish them. But it's time for you to go."
"Can I come back? I would like to come back!"
"I would like that too."
"So I'll see you tomorrow."
The Oracle hugs her. "I hope so, honey, I hope so," she muttered as Sati left the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" Seraph lilted as the Oracle puts some cookies on a plate.
"We all do what we have to do."
"I have never left you."
"Please, take Sati. Try to keep him away from her," she told him. Seraph doesn't budge. She gently holds his face like a proud mother. "What would I have done, all these years without your strength?"
Seraph usually never expresses much emotion. But right now, he wants to cry now.
"Please," she pleaded. "It's all I ask."
He sighs, hating to leave her alone, but quietly nods. "I will miss you," he remarked sadly, knowing he won't see her again and want to thank her, to the woman who had helped him many years ago - be as The One and afterward.
"I know."
▪︎1001▪︎
Seraph hits the elevator button as he stands with Sati at the end of the wall. He frowns when nothing happens. He tries again, but instead, the elevator light goes out. They both turn around, realizing one by one, the fluorescents flicker off, followed by darkness.
"I'm scared, Seraph," Sati whispered.
"Come," he said, rushing for the stairs. They stare down the stairwell, spotting many Smiths climbing toward their direction. Quietly, they exit onto another floor, rush down the corridor, looking at walls and doors before finally finding an empty apartment.
Seraph brings Sati towards the farthest bedroom. They stay quiet for a moment.
"He's following us," Sati realized, scared as she hears footsteps outside.
The door opens, revealing Smiths, slowly walking closer to them. "Well, well, it's been a long time," one of Smiths spoke. "I remember chasing you was like chasing a ghost."
Seraph's jaw tightened. "I have beaten you before," he claimed, recalling many fights he had with this agent, including the one when he almost killed Enigma.
"That's true, but as you can see, things are a little different now." Then, Smith kneels to Sati. "And you must be the last exile."
"The Oracle told me about you," Sati said.
"Really? And what did she say about me?"
"That you're a bad man." And you hurt Enigma and her family, Sati wants to add, but fear overwhelmed her. She never met an Agent before, but her parents always told many stories of them. Right now, she can see why so many Exiles are scared of these programs.
"Oh, I'm not so bad once you get to know me."
The Smiths begin spreading into the room.
▪︎1001▪︎
The Oracle quietly smoking her cigarette, lamenting. It's just a matter of time until the Smiths come here and take her.
For Neo and Enigma to succeed, she must let this happen.
She looks at Smiths entering the kitchen. "The great and powerful Oracle. We meet at last."
She stays quiet.
"I suppose you've been expecting me, right? The all-knowing Oracle is never surprised. How can she be, she knows everything. But If that's true, then why is she here? If she knew I was coming, why didn't she leave?" And suddenly, he sweeps a plate of cookies off the table, looking at her with manic eyes. "Maybe you knew I was going to do that, maybe you didn't. If you did, that means you baked those cookies and set that plate right there deliberately, purposefully. Which means you're sitting there also deliberately, purposefully."
"What did you do with Sati?" She queried, wanting to know.
"Cookies need love like everything does," one of Smiths responded and they all laugh.
Her mouth set in a hard line. "You are a bastard," she carped.
"You would know, Mom."
Funny thing is, she does. And she knows despite she can see the possibility of Smith's defeat, she can see he'll come back again in the future. Ironically, he's the one thing that allows a change in this Matrix's system and he'll do it again during a crucial moment for Neo, Trinity, and Enigma.
She puts down her cigarette. "Do what you're here to do," she simply said.
"Yes, ma'am."
Smith takes to hold her arm and presses two of his fingers into her. When he absorbs her, the entire kitchen is shaken by an invisible tornado. It stays like that for seconds before the Oracle turns into another Smith.
He stands, taking his sunglasses, looking around the kitchen while other Smiths step away from him.
Then, he laughs wildly.
▪︎1001▪︎
Enigma opens her eyes, her forehead furrows with what she saw.
"What is it?" Neo quietly asked her as he sit beside her in Maggie's room, rake up her hair. Her face turns pale just now.
"Smith," Enigma shut her eyes, leaning her head at Neo's shoulder while trying to calm down. "He got them. He got Sati, Seraph... the Oracle."
Neo taps his foot, folds his arm around her body tenderly. Their situation is getting dire by minutes.
"What did you see?" Enigma holds his arms. "Before, in Mobil Ave."
"It's hard to describe," Neo admitted.
"Can you show me? Won't hurt to try."
He closes his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers as he recalls what he witnessed. A dark scorched plane of Earth marked by the three black lines that pull them closer and closer...
"Zero One," Enigma breathed, looking surprised at him.
"The Machine City?" He guessed.
The blonde nods. "I had a dream of that. How everything begins..."
They looked at each other. A truth hit them. Sane people would say this is an insane plan. But they need to try. The others must know.
▪︎1001▪︎
"The Machines have taken Junction 21," Roland explained while showing them a map. "The way I see it if we drop down from broadcast here," he pointed out. "We might surprise them. We go first, hammer as deep as we can, they blow our EMP. Hopefully, we can punch a hole big enough for you to get through."
Niobe sighs. Roland understands why. "It ain't pretty, but the way I see it, it's the only way back."
"No it's not," she agreed. "There's another way," she pointed on the map. "A support line. It drops down right here. A thousand meters short of 21. If we're lucky, we may be able to slip down without them ever knowing."
"That's a mechanical line. It's impossible, no one can pilot mechanical."
"I can."
"Bullshit."
"I've done it."
"That was a long time ago, Niobe," Morpheus reminded her.
"I said I can do it," Niobe insisted.
"So what?" Roland scoffed. "If you can, you'll be the only one that can. There's no way we can follow you."
Before any argument can be said, the door suddenly opens. Neo and Enigma are standing in the doorway. "Hi," he greeted awkwardly, still brushing Enigma's arm. "I know time is always against us, and I'm sorry we took so long. But we wanted to be sure."
Trinity frowns. "Sure of what?"
"I know what we have to do."
"What?" Morpheus probed.
Neo and Enigma look at each other, nod, and look at everyone. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it. We have to take one of the ships."
"What?" Roland blurted.
"To go where?" Morpheus asked again.
"Zero One," Enigma revealed, looks down while giving Trinity a 'we'll explain later' look. "Or, to be precise, the Machine City."
Roland burst into laughter.
"I know it's difficult to understand..." Neo continued.
"No, it's not," Roland interjected. "You two are out of your goddamn mind."
"We still have to go."
"You'll never make it. In a hundred years no ship has gone within a hundred kilometers of it, you'll never make it."
Enigma sighs, arms remain at her side. She tends to forget how hard it is when dealing with Roland. "With all respect, sir, we have to try," she seethed. "No matter how insane it sounds."
"Is this what the Oracle told you?" Morpheus eyeing both.
Neo shook his head. "No."
"This is asinine!" Roland snapped. "If you want to kill yourself, go do it, but do it without wasting one of our ships."
"You have to believe me, we have to go."
"Bullshit! While I'm captain of this ship, I say where it has to go. Believe me, this ship will go to hell long before I let you take it anywhere."
Niobe looks down, remembering her conversation with the Oracle after Ghost spoke to her. "He can take mine," Niobe suggested.
"You can't do that," Roland disagreed.
She raises her eyebrow. "Don't even think of trying to tell me what I can or cannot do with my ship after that little speech."
"But for Christ's sake, Niobe..."
"I'll pilot this ship. He and Enigma can take mine. If we leave inside an hour, we should reach Zion as the machines do. That's as good a plan as any."
Roland shook his head, can't believe he heard this. "It's a waste! A goddamn waste!" He bellowed, leaving.
Niobe looks at Morpheus. "Two ships, two directions. Sounds like providence, doesn't it, Morpheus?"
"You've never believed in The One," Morpheus addressed.
"I still don't."
"Then why are you doing this?"
"I believe in them."
"Thank you," Neo and Enigma thanked her at once, to which she replies with a small smile and nods.
