THE PATH
ARC
"We did it!" Captain Arc exclaims standing over Ares' unconscious body as it lies on the medical table.
"He needs a lot of work." Option 8 the medical officer of the hovercraft Hermes says.
"Captain we are picking up Sentinel Activity…Six units." Space says.
"Go dark and man all guns!" She looks at Option 8, "Keep working on him."
"Yes Ma'am."
All power is shut off and the crew of the Hermes must be absolutely quiet or the Sentinels will hear them. Several intense hours pass before the all clear is given. Before returning to the medical bay Arc heads to the bridge. "I think we should get out of here Captain…Reaver and the Steel Fist just pulled three Red Pills from the Matrix. The Reaver pulled two and the Steel Fist one."
"All pads full power…Launch drones and take us to sector fourteen…"
"Aye Captain."
"This is the Captain…All crew keep the guns manned until we reach sector fourteen." She returns to the Med-Bay.
"I'm out of tyvezol…We should head back to Zion immediately."
"What about morphine?"
"Like I said he needs a lot of work…I need the strong stuff…"
"To Zion we go." She heads back to the bridge to pilot the ship herself.
ZION
The trip to Zion takes nine days. The city is located near the center of the earth's core where it is still warm. The humans living there, number two hundred and forty-seven thousand. There are eight major tunnels that lead to the eight gates of the dock. "This is Arc Captain of the Hermes requesting a stand down of arms at Gate One."
"Code confirmed Hermes…Doors opening. Dock in bay twelve."
"Copy that…Request a medical team meet us priority code 01. And an honor guard. We have a fallen soldier…He died in the Matrix."
When the Hermes docks the medical team is waiting with a few members of the High Council and the honor guard. "We pulled him out of the Matrix but we ran out of tyvezol."
The medics place an IV bag of tyvezol into his arm duct. "Captain the High Council wants to meet with you as soon as possible."
"Yes Councilor."
"Mode have the ship restocked with all supplies and see if you can get me some coffee."
"Yes Captain."
Arc lives alone on level fifty-two, unit 52-E of the city. She goes home takes a shower and adds a lunch box to her collection of things she has salvaged from ruined cities and neighborhoods all over the world. She also has a Japanese Katana sword in her collection. After getting refreshed she reports to the High Council.
"The Red Codes exist…and we now have confirmation that the Programs of the Matrix are involved in a sort of civil war." Arc says standing beside Commander Kane, the ranking officer of Zion's military forces. "I lost a crew member." She sadly says, "He died getting the One out of the Matrix."
"I would like to reiterate…" Council Bedlam says speaking, "…That we should not trust the Oracle or this prophecy non-sense about the One…" Some of the other Council members sigh dramatically.
"Council Bedlam…You have voiced your concerns and we have watched and tested the Oracle…So far all her prophecies have come true." Councils Bedlam and Miles do not trust the Oracle or her prophecies.
ALEX
A few days later Alex awakens in a strange looking medical bed. "Captain he's awake.
Alex rubs his eyes, "You…" He looks at the man wearing a white one, piece suit, "And who are you?"
"Chief Medical Officer and Zion Council member Rom."
"Zion?"
"Regain your strength and I will take you on a tour of the city." Arc says.
He eats, exercises, and tries to make sense of what he saw in past few weeks. As promised Arc takes him through the city. "Wow how many people live here?" He asks as they go down to the engineering level.
"Over two hundred and forty thousand, including men women and children. Most are naturals."
"Naturals?"
"Humans born in the real world."
The Engineering level is filled with machines used to power the city and feed the inhabitants. There is also a water recycler. The only people who come to this level are the engineers. From the Engineering level they go up the elevator to the docks. She shows him the command center and then her ship. "How many ships do you have?"
"The fleet numbers two thousand ships and as you can see we have more under construction."
Finally she takes him to the residence level, "So this ring is level 85 and your living unit is 85-K."
The room has one bedroom, a living room and a kitchen. "Where do you live?"
She smiles, "52-E…Get settled on tomorrow I will come and get you for training."
He frowns, "Training in what?" She just smiles and leaves. Alex explores his unit again, then he sits on the bed. His mind and emotions go from one extreme to the next. The only thing keeping him from snapping is the beautiful Arc. The next morning Arc brings him breakfast.
"Did you sleep?"
He laughs, "Sleep! That was the last thing I wanted to do."
"Most people feel that way immediately after leaving the Matrix."
They finish their meal of fruit, cheese, bread, and juice. Then the two head to Docking bay and from there to a side room with computer jack chairs. "This is the simulator. Here you learn combat, weapons, and vehicle training through simulation. This is Space."
"Space?"
"Space bar…You know…But I didn't use the bar part. I will be your operator an honor sir."
Alex is sat down in a chair and plugged in. Then Space uploads the drunken boxing program. "Holy shit! What was that?"
"Your jack goes directly into your brain…Information can be loaded into your conscious. Do you want another?"
"Hell yeah."
Hours are spent uploading combat programs into Ares' mind. As time passes a crowd gathers as Ares has surpasses the record for longest mind upload. His eyes flicker and when they open he, looks at Arc. "I know Kun-Fu."
"Show me." They are uploaded to a white space. Arc appears, "This is the construct…Here we can load clothes, weapons, training simulations, weapons etc…Space load training program Dojo. The green code waves down and behind a Japanese style dojo appears. "As you know all computer simulations have rules, but unlike the real world…in here and in the Matrix these rules can be bent…Some can be broken. When you reach your full potential, the rules won't apply to you."
"How so?"
She just smiles and takes the praying mantis fighting style, "Now hit me if you can."
Alex takes the tiger-crane fighting style. He roars and attacks with clawed hand attack, but Arc dodges his attacks and kicks, then she turns to the side, grabs his wrist and flips him over. "Too slow."
He twists on his back and flips to his feet doing a spin kick which she ducks. Then she tarts blocking his attacks with one hand. She catches his right fist and then the left crossing his arms. "I thought you said you know Kung Fu." She head butts him Alex and he goes flying across the room and cracks the wall.
Arc walks across the room, "I thought you said that you knew Kung Fu."
He gets angry, leans on one hand and sticks his feet kicking at Arc. She blocks the kicks and back flips. Alex leaps at her punching, kicking, switching and combining fighting styles, but no matter what he does he cannot land a lick or break Arc's defenses. She des a hand stand and a leg split, then she spins around kicking Alex in the face repeatedly. She puts her hand down again and mule kicks him to the floor.
"Anger has his place and it will give you focus, but not if you allow it to control you." She stands over him as he sits on the floor breathing heavy. "Now tell me…Why did you lose?"
He looks up at her, "You have more experience…Your faster, somehow stronger than me."
"And what does any of that have to do with why you lost?
"It has everything to do with it!"
She shakes her head, "You lost because you still think of yourself as Alex Munroe. Alex Munroe was a slave of the Matrix. His slave slave parents gave him that name…Now you are unplugged…Your eyes are open! Who are you?"
"I'm not a slave."
"You don't sound very convincing. Who are you!"
"I am not a slave! I am free of the Matrix! I am Ares!"
She offers him a hand up, "You are also the one…The only limitations you have on yourself are the ones that you put there. Again!" She yells throwing a punch. Alex now Ares stumbles backwards and Arc goes into a bicycle kick. He blocks all of her kicks and counters with a barrage of punches and kicks of his own, driving her back.
She catches both his fists, "You're faster than this! Don't think you are…Know you are!"
He grunts as his strength slowly increases and he pulls his arms in another direction causing Arc to frown. He leaps up and kicks Arc in the chest sending her flying across the dojo. She flips landing on her feet sliding. He is about to attack again when she raises her hand stopping him. "Well done…You are the One and you determine how strong and fast you are."
"You mean I can bend the rules."
She smiles, "When you are ready Ares…You will break them all." She looks up, "Space load the jump program." The dojo changes to a major metropolis and they are standing on the roof of a highrise building. "You have to let go all fear, doubts, and unbelief." She runs to the edge and leaps to another building five blocks away.
"Okay…Let go…Let go…I believe." He says to himself. Ares runs to the edge and jumps, but he falls screaming all the way down. The street bends in like puddy and propels him up three feet. He hits the ground unharmed.
When Ares leaves Zion's construct he stares dumfounded at the group assembled watching the view screen. Some smile, others seem disappointed and a few pay off their bets. His nose runs blood and his mouth has blood in it as well. He looks at Arc, "I thought it wasn't real."
"Your mind makes it real."
"If you die in the Matrix…"
"You already know the answer to that question."