Part Five

When it came to Neo, nothing was beyond the realm of impossibility. Being "The One" generated potentials unimaginable both in the Matrix and the real world. But what Morpheus and his allies encountered before them could not be discerned as a newfound gift of "The One" or something else entirely.

Ryuko, on the other hand, already had it figured out.

"They created a clone of him!"

Morpheus glowered in question towards the Neo replicate. "Is that what you are?"

"Yes, Morpheus," he confirmed. "As a measure of gratitude, the machines duplicated this new body you see now. One that's fully human." He rolled up the sleeves of his robe and turned to show the base of his skull, exhibiting the evidence of his complete mortality.

"They've taken away your ability to plug into the Matrix," a shocked Niobe noted.

"There's no longer any need," Neo said. "I'm already permanently hacked in."

He indicated the corpse of his original body, still dangling from the undercarriage of the Deus Ex Machina.

Gen detected how unfazed he was from it.

"And you're not the least bit daunted by what they're doing to you?"

Neo slightly shook his head. "They've continued to use my digital copy in the Matrix to free anyone who wishes to wake up to the real world. Hasn't there been any more that's come into Zion since the war ended?"

"No," Morpheus coldly replied. "Because the truce has been broken."

"They're using your old body as a vessel for that Agent Smith guy," Ryuko said. "He's not freein' anybody in there!"

Neo's face stiffened, gesturing between Ryuko and Gen. "What're you talking about? Morpheus, who are these women?"

"They're new allies we've made in this new journey we've partaken to find you," Morpheus told him. "And they speak the truth. The Deus himself confessed to the betrayal."

Neo furiously looked skyward to the hovering central interface. "Is this true?"

"YES! YOUR REPLICATION WAS NEVER A SIGN OF GRATITUDE! YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN AN EXPERIMENT PROPOSED TO INFILTRATE ZION! HUMAN REPLICATES AMONG THE HUMAN-BORN, UNTIL NONE REMAIN!"

Ryuko scoffed at the mechanical behemoth. "Way to blather your entire evil masterplan to us, moron!"

"NONE OF YOU WILL LIVE TO WARN YOUR LEGION!"

Without uttering a single command, all of the city's defenses swarmed around the Deus Ex Machina and towards the human intruders.

"No," Neo softly uttered.

In what almost seemed like a command of his own, another fleet of machines counterattacked those summoned by Deus. Infuriated and confused, the central interface roared, "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

"I suspected your treachery long before," Neo revealed. "Ever since my replication, I've done some freeing inside this city. I may no longer have the ability to enter the Matrix, but I still share a connection to this place. With it, I was able to find those who honorably upheld the truce. Apparently, a machine does know something about honor."

Neo's army of liberated automatons swiftly overpowered their opponents.

They progressed in dismantling the Deus Ex Machina, perpetually severing the link it maintained between Neo's original body and the Matrix – and, retroactively, shutting down Smith in the simulated reality.

As this all occurred, the new Neo and his compatriots escaped Machine City.

They returned aboard the Nebuchadnezzar II where Link and Sparks were met with the shocking arrival of the Neo replicate.

As soon as the two operators were past the overwhelming sense of joy and confusion, Neo returned their attention to the matter at hand: "This isn't over. We may have taken down the Deus Ex Machina, but I've started a civil war from the machines' deceit…one that will result in either faction rebuilding."

His brooding irked Ryuko a bit.

"Well, hey, let's try to be a little optimistic here," she said. "We kicked some serious robot butt today and you guys got Neo back. If that's not a win-win, I don't know what is." She froze in realization. "Man! I'm starting to sound just like my friend Mako."

"What will you and your people do next, Morpheus?" Gen curiously inquired.

"If Neo's prophecy is correct and either of the machine factions will rebuild, we will have to return to Zion and warn them of the uncertain future that awaits our world," Morpheus stated. "We can only hope for the truce to uphold better than before…or prepare for another war."

Gen gave an understanding nod. "Whatever happens, don't hesitate to reach us through the Matrix."

"Thank you," Morpheus gratefully shook her hand.

The crew of the Nebuchadnezzar II bid the Time Lady and her companion farewell and watched as the two women boarded the T.A.R.D.I.S., dematerializing back into the infinite dimensional corridor.

Witnessing the otherworldly display for the first time, Neo beamed with intrigue.

"Whoa."