The following RP story contains violence and adult language. Reader discretion is advised. (Dear Moderators, I've been searching TOS and PMing Moderators trying to find out how "clean" I should edit this. If you find this post unsatisfactory, please inform me so I can make the necessary edits.)

Read the full novelette here: http://mxo.phil48.com

Chapter Eight: The Prodigy of The One

Celia Hall looked down at the steady flow of traffic below. Closing her eyes her mind repeated the events of the past few hours. "If you don't have the drugs or the money," that harsh voice repeated in her head, "then you're as good as dead." It wasn't her fault she lost the drugs, they were stolen. But that didn't matter at all him.

Fourteen floors. She wondered whether that enough to complete the job. Nothing could make this evening any worse then to be lying on the ground swimming in blood for the last moments of your life. Fourteen floors. That should be enough.

She wondered how many blow jobs it would take to make up twenty-thousand dollars. She only had a couple hours. Hm, that could be a world record or something. She could famous! And then, peddling drugs to pay rent for a *CENSORED* apartment would be a thing of the past.

Fourteen floors. It would probably end up being the most exhilarating experience of her life. Like floating. The graceful pass of air over her body. If you're going to die, might as well go out with a bang. Fourteen floors. Everybody dies sometime.

Perhaps she could rob a bank or an ATM machine. At least that way, if she got caught she wouldn't have to worry about being raped again. Though, rumors from female prisons don't sound much different than men's prisons. At least her employer couldn't get her. But if she did get away with it, she's be scot free.

Her sister probably ended with same fate. Running away from home to the big city, going to make it on her own. God, she was only sixteen, maybe she did it on the same roof. Of all the ones in the city, perhaps this one. Perhaps, she to while working hard was attacked, raped, and had her entire livelihood stripped away from her in one night. One could only image.

Fourteen floors. The traffic below moved as normal for an early morning. It was 5am rush hour. The sun hadn't started to rise yet, but already people were moving about downtown busy about their own lives. Would they even notice her? Would one dead girl on the side of the road make any difference at all in an ever changing world. Fourteen floors. So, this is it.

Archangel sat at the diner sipping his coffee. It wasn't like his contact to be late, and this last piece of information was vital to his operation. He took a deep breath watching the bluepills move about him. A waitress walked up to him, "Excuse me, mister," she said, "but I believe I have a call for you."

Archangel smiled. "I'm sure you do." She handed him the phone. "Hello?"

"I have a tail," the voice cracked on the other line, "I can't seem to shake them. Meet me at the Morrell Subway Station."

"I'm on my way." Archangel handed the phone back to the girl and dropped a hundred on the counter.

"Have a nice day," she chimed.

Archangel stepped outside to his silver Mustang GT. Opening the door he paused before getting in. Something was wrong. He felt it in a gut, like a sixth sense. Turning he scanned the area. Just a bunch of bluepills on their way to work. Looking up he focused to see if he was being followed. Up on a building he saw someone looking down at him. He hesitated; a redpill he assumed; could it be Merovingian or Machine. Did his contact, Amano, say something to one of his crew. It was time to move.

Just then, the person jumped off the roof. His suspicion was confirmed, it was a redpill and he had little time to move. But as he continued to watch a screamed filled his ears. A scream of fear, of dread, or maybe even a bit of remorse.

Slamming his car door shut he bolted across the street. The traffic was heavy, and moving slow so it made it easy though it didn't stop the motorists from honking their horns. He jumped to the air and scaled the brick wall. Leaping off he caught the jumper in his arms and landed safely on the ground again.

Celia looked up into her rescuer's eyes. Their gaze locked for a moment, and she passed out. Archangel looked around. No one saw. No one even noticed. He was about to place her down on the ground and leave. But he couldn't, if no one even noticed her jump they wouldn't notice her lying there. Picking her up he carried her to his car. He placed her in the passenger seat and drove to meet Amano.

The train roared through the Orange Line subway system. It was packed with bluepills, standing room only. Those who dared to sit down were constantly being stepped on or crushed. Upon reaching the next stop the voice said: "Doors are opening." And when they did a massive flood moved in one side and out the other. All pushing and squeezing themselves in. "Warning: Doors are closing." After the doors closed the train took off.

In the back car was Namroc and about half his crew: Rocker, Jackvaxx, Hakrubatix, Dreamer, and DarkWater. Namroc sat across Captain Nelks of The Decadence. He had come without the support of his crew, this was something he had to do on his own. Nelks seemed disturbed, uneasy about the operation, and Namroc didn't seem to possess words of comfort.

Archangel pulled near the Subway station. He took one last look at the girl who was still unconscious beside him. It was probably the first time she slept in a while. He cracked the windows for her and exited the vehicle.

Walking down into the subway station Archangel met the crowd of commuters. Hundreds of people so busy living out their lives, they did not notice the tall pale faced man standing among them. He was Amano, although he looked like a vampiric Exile, he was a redpill. While still blue, he was bitten by a vampire. The blood gave him a serious virus that he still possess when jacked out. He doesn't crave human blood, but it does give him a ghostly pale complexion and abnormally long teeth. Sure, this may be good for parties in the real, but the virus gave him the opposite of all other vampiric traits from fairy tales: he was extremely weak, bad eye sight especially in the dark, low immune system, and low platelet count. All this being said, after he was bitten the System rejected him. It flushed him out, and it was Nelks and crew that found him.

Jacked in, however, Amano was a powerful operative, though the virus effected his RSI making him look like a vampire. But here, his mind was sharp and his neuro-kinetics were exceptionally high. That benefit allowed him to go through the ranks of The Decadence to First Mate.

Celia woke up. She turned startled realizing she was in a stranger's car. Noticing first she was alone, second she looked outside to see where she was. Not far from the building she hurled herself off of. She opened the door to run away, but something occurred to her. She started looking around the car. Opening the glove box she found a pistol and fifty thousand dollars in cash.

She paused for a moment. Was this the break she was looking for? Searching again she saw a phone booth not far away. She pulled out Archangel's ashtray and took fifty cents. Bolting from the car to the phone she made the call. "Who is this voice?" an angry voice called out.

"It's Celia," she said softly.

"You got my ****ing money?"

"I have fifty thousand dollars. You can have all of it."

"Girl, you betta ain't be ****ing with me, or I'll come over there and **** you so bad you'll think the other guy was a gentleman."

"I got the money, I'm at the Morrell Subway station, Orange Line."

"Well, get the **** over here."

"I would, but the I wouldn't have fifty thou anymore."

"Fine *****. I'll send someone over."

Celia hung up the phone before placing the pistol and the money in her purse. She walked back to the car wondering if she could take that as her own, or would it have lo-jack. Then she's be screwed.

Just then a man ran up behind her pushing her so hard she fell over. He grabbed her purse and took off running. "Oh ****," she cursed under her breath. "Not today. Not ****ing today!" She got up and ran after him. Noticing he was being pursued the perp ran down into the subway.

Archangel and Amano made eye contact. Amano headed for the train as the doors stood open. Amano took out his cellphone and a PDA. He connected the two and launched a program on the PDA. This shut down his communication with the hovercraft. They both moved inside the same car through different doors.

The perp hopped the turnstile and merged into the crowd. He turned seeing Celia was right behind him. Taking off he bolted into one of the trains. "Warning: Doors are closing." Celia didn't let that stop her. She ran to the nearest one and flung herself through as the doors closed.

"I've lost him," the operator of The Enigma stated. The crew were all equipped with bluetooth headsets so they heard him. "The Matrix is all scrambled, I can't see a thing."

"Alright, time to move," Namroc said.

"It's about time," DarkWater retorted cleaning the sole of her boot with her bowie knife.

"Put that away, Amano is one of our own. He do not make a move unless he does first."

"**** this," she said getting up.

"Dark," Namroc stated, "we work as a team."

"Fine," she fired back, "cover me." She pressed a button on her RSI Mapper and morphed into a random bluepill she sampled earlier in the station. DarkWater-Blue left the train moving forward.

"Jack," Namroc said, "come with me. The rest of you stay here." They followed DarkWater into the next train.

Celia followed the perp yelling. He forced his way through the crowd to the front of the car. Sliding the door open he pushed his way through to the next car. Slamming the door shut he moved forward. He pushed Amano aside who watched as he moved toward the door.

Celia forced her way through the crowd when Archangel saw her. He grabbed her arm. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

She recognized him immediately. "He stole my purse," was the safest thing she could say.

"Was there anything important in it?" he asked.

She paused. Could she tell him that his money was in it. Perhaps not. "No."

"When I'm done here, I'll buy you a new one," he replied. He had a lot of things he wanted to talk to this girl about, but getting in the information from Amano was more important. He pushed Celia into a seat. "Stay put."

"I have the information you requested," Amano said. "Flora's location and the schematics for the chateau. Now, where's the security you said you had for me?"

"At the next stop," Archangel replied. Amano clutched the CD in his hand. Archangel's eyes spotted the reflection of a knife blade in the window. He scanned the crowd for assailant but none was there.

The perp made it to the front of the train. Turning he didn't see Celia anywhere. He started looking through the purse. First he saw the pistol, then the cash. "You know, pink is not your color." He looked up to see a man staring at him.

"**** you," he blurted out.

"**** this," the man said showing his police badge. Undercover cops always rode the trains for security purposes.

" **** this," the perp said drawing the pistol.

"That was very stupid," the cop continued.

Amano reached up with the disc, but Archangel pushed him aside. Instead, he grabbed DarkWater-Blue by the neck and threw her against the glass. "Who the **** are you?" he asked. Everything in him said this was a bluepill, but his instincts had to be wrong.

"I don't know what your talking about," DarkWater-Blue wheezed her voice mimicking the bluepill's perfectly.

Archangel stared into her eyes. But they weren't real, and he knew something, though he couldn't see it.

The perp and cop looked toward Archangel when he attacked DarkWater-Blue. Sensing the opportunity, the cop tackled the perp. His one hand grabbed the gun and pointed it up as he struggled to gain control of him. The gun went off. The bullet pieced a hole through the roof.

DarkWater-Blue drew her bowie knife and cut Archangel in the arm. He let her go and she slashed him again. Pushing him to the ground she attacked Amano. She hit him a few times, but he was much better at hand to hand combat. He threw her back and her arm caught a pole. It hit the "cancel" button on her RSI Mapper and she morphed back into herself.

The cop subdued the perp forcing him down. He hit him in the head to daze him and then handcuffed him to the post. Now for the next incident, he thought.

"Next stop, Park East." The crowd moved. Oblivious to what was going on, they crowed toward the door. Amano made for the exit and Archangel tackled DarkWater. Celia fought the crowed to get her purse but was swept away by the flood of people exiting and entering. She fought it the best she could but was forced outside the train. "Warning: Doors are closing."

DarkWater kicked Archangel in the groin and moved toward the door. She jumped hitting several people so hard she knocked them over. Celia fell over the ramp and landed on the train tracks stuck between the wheels and the cement wall. DarkWater got to her feet when she noticed Celia. "Please stand clear. Doors are closing." The doors tried closing again. Celia was lying on the ground, her jeans caught between two of the wheels, holding her arm up. DarkWater grabbed her arm, but her pants were caught. She heard the doors secure. Quickly, she drew her bowie knife and cut Celia's pants at the waist. She slipped out of them and DarkWater pulled her up onto ground.

The crowd was moving toward the exit quickly as Nelks and Namroc (and company) were closing in on Amano. Celia was crying as she now lost the money and her pants. Archangel moved to get the disc from Amano. Pissed DarkWater tackled Archangel to the ground. Nelks grabbed Amano's shirt, Namroc stood behind with pistols drawn. The others stood ready.

Celia decided getting run over was a less pleasant way to die than jumping off a fourteen story building. So she decided to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Just then, LongFu and her crew along with another EPN crew ran down the ramp into the subway. They all had drawn guns and were ready for anything. Hakrubatix saw them first and opened fire. The other returned taking refuge behind some pillars, trashcans, and anything else that would stop a bullet.

Nelks threw Amano down to the ground and they wrestled as he tried to get the disc from his First Mate. Archangel pushed DarkWater aside and grabbed Nelks. DarkWater threw a Code Freeze dart locking up Archangel's RSI. She kicked him aside as Amano made his way to the door. Another quick Code Freeze stopped him from moving.

Celia ran around the long way. Even as the fighting was going on, this was not how she wanted to be killed in either. Though she had no idea what she would do once she was out of there. Not much a girl can do with no pants and no money. But sticking around didn't sound like much fun either.

Nelks grabbed the disc off Amano as Archangel's facilities returned to him. He tackled Nelks sending the disc sliding across the ground. DarkWater moved for it when Celia bolted for the door. LongFu charged firing her duel pistols; Namroc returned fire. When Rocker saw Celia, she froze. She could have sworn she recognized that girl, but that would be impossible. One of the bullets hit Celia in the back. LongFu turned on DarkWater firing. Sliding across the ground DarkWater grabbed the disc.

A bit stunned Celia stared at the exit wound. It bled, but not a lot. So this is it, she mused, shot down in the middle of a gang war. She dropped to her knees waiting to die. At least, she felt little pain. Closing her eyes she wished it wouldn't take to long. Suddenly, she was caught up by a great force. Before she knew it she was in the arms of Archangel again. He raced out the subway and up to street level. He laid her down on the street. At least if she was going to die, his cute face would make a good last image.

"Operator," came the voice over Archangel's cellphone.

"Get Maxi up here, now!"

"You got it, boss," was his reply.

Within seconds, Maxi, the XO, was up out of the subway. She knelt down beside Archangel. "I've already determined she's not going to die today!" he told her.

Maxi checked her PDA. "The bullet went clean through," she explained, "this should be pretty easy." She launched a patch program to repair the damage. Her flesh was just code, like the redpills, and could be repaired by a patcher the same. The only difference between the two, was that redpill's mind allows them to take substantially more damage than a bluepill's before it fails. And repairing Celia's mind, would not be as easy.

"Let her rest," Maxi said, "and she should be fine." She got up as LongFu and the other Zionites ran out of the subway.

"We're moving," LongFu ordered.

"What about the disc?" Maxi asked.

"Move people!" she barked back. Archangel picked up Celia and carried her with them.

Nelks successfully subdued Amano with the help of Jackvaxx and Namroc. DarkWater recovered the disc as Hakrubatix zip-tied Amano's hands together. The next train arrived in the station. All, but Rocker, stood fast together by the train. She stood frozen in place in the center. "Rocker," Dreamer called out.

As the commuters exited like a herd of cattle to the slaughter, the group moved back into the train. Dreamer fought her way through the crowd grabbing her First Mate's arm. She pulled her back against the flow into the train. "Warning: Doors are closing." Inside just in time.

Amano hands were tied down to the back of an armless chair. There were only three other people in the room: Nelks stood by the door, arms crossed; DarkWater sat on another chair cleaning her finger nails with her bowie knife; and Namroc who stood over Amano obsessively.

"We've decompiled the disc already," Namroc interrogated him, "we know you were selling the schematics of the chateau to Zion. What were you planning on getting for it." Amano sat silent. "Come on, man," Namroc continued, "what do you plan on getting from us if you don't cooperate? You're not making your situation any better." He remained silent.

"Look, we can do this here, or we can do in the Real. That choice is up to you. We're offering you the dignity of helping us here, where I know you are our greatest asset."

Just then DarkWater dove to the floor: "Tell us, dammit!" She stabbed his foot to the floor. Amano cried out in pain as a puddle of blood grew from the wound.

Namroc grabbed DarkWater pulling her away. She fought him off the best she could, but Namroc pushed her aside. "Get out of here!" he yelled pushing her at the door. "Nelks, a little help."

Instead, Nelks tackled Namroc and both of them fell outside of the Interrogation Room. DarkWater closed the door. She turned back to Amano with a smile on her face and twinkle in her eye. Pulling the knife out of his foot she sat down on his lap facing him. "There," she started, "now I think we can get better acquainted."

"I'm not saying anything," Amano barked.

"Good," DarkWater said, "I wouldn't want you to. It would take away from the fun." She ran the blade of the bowie knife up and down his chest. She moved the knife up to his mouth. "Open wide," she said with a smile, "the doctor has to check for cavities." Amano gritted his teeth. "Awe," she pouted. "I guess I'll have to check for prostate cancer. I'm very good at that!" She reached touch touching his waist. She whistled a tune while unbuckling his pants. "Ooh, I feel a nasty tumor growing. I might just have to operate."

"Don't-" but before he found finish another word the knife blade was in his mouth.

"There, that wasn't so bad." She caught the serrations of the knife under his abnormally large teeth. "This little piggy went to market," she sang pulling back loosening the tooth. He tried to fight it, but it splintered and cracked breaking off. "And this little one staid home. Oh, wait. He can't stay home. This little piggy's going to market!" Amano grunted as she pulled the second tooth from his jaw. It dropped to the ground as blood ran from his mouth.

DarkWater bent over backwards to pick up the tooth and stretched out her stomach in front of Amano. She held the knife fast in his mouth leaning up again. She pivoted the knife forcing his mouth open. "And this little piggy cried wee, wee, wee," as she repeated those words she shoved the tooth into his throat, "all the way home." She forced his head back, withdrew the bowie knife, and forced him to swallow it.

"You're insane," Amano blurted out when she let go of his neck.

"I'm not crazy," DarkWater retorted, "you just think I'm crazy because you are crazy. When you're crazy you think everyone else is, but they're not."

"I want to talk with Namroc."

"No, you can't talk to him. You're talking to me now, or no one else. They've washed your hands of you. You made it abundantly clear they have no more use for you, that's why they sent me in. Now, let's see...."

DarkWater reached the bowie knife around to the back of his neck. "You know," she went on, "I've been studying up on my anatomy, and they say the plug in your head connects directly into the lower cerebral cortex. It's a cluster of grey matter which controls your memory, and most people believe that's where the Mind is located." She pressed the point of the bowie knife right into his neck were the plug would be; blood drips down his back. Amano fights the pain. "I wonder, how big that plug is? I've been working on a procedure, were I cut the flesh around the plug just enough to get a grip on it," she sticks her index and middle fingers along with her thumb though the flesh touching his brainstem, "and then I'd pull it out. I image the brainstem and that grey matter would come with it."

Amano fights back a scream as DarkWater grips his brainstem with her fingers. The pain surges through his virtual body as she pulls it this way and that. "I've never done this operation," she continued. "And I want so much to do it, that Nelks agreed to let me have you. And once you're in your weakened state, I'll have you all to myself." She leaned in whispering, "Inch by inch, you'll be all mine."

"Flora!" Amano blurted out.

"Don't worry, I'll do her next."

"No, the name you want is Flora."

"Who is Flora," Namroc asked Nelks. They were watching through monitors in the Observation Room.

"She's an Exile," Poet said stepping in from the open doorway.

"She studies botanicals," Amano continued, "but she also studies poisons and the kill codes required to make them. The EPN want a kill code they can upload into the Source to destroy the Matrix."

"They can't get into the source without the Keymaker," DarkWater protested, "and only The One can enter the Source."

"Yes, but there were six other Ones. All they need is a Prodigy of The One who can enter the Source and upload the virus. They also need a super weapon, some kind of kill code that will destroy anything."

"Agents?"

"Agents, and the one who is stronger than agents."

"The Architect," Poet murmured under his breath.

"So you're just going to sit and wait for the Second Coming of ****ing Christ?" DarkWater snorted.

The door to the Interrogation Room opened. Nelks and Namroc entered. Amano's jaw dropped when he realized he was set up. DarkWater broke up laughing. "You obviously did not watch much TV when you were younger," she laughed. "Good cop. Bad cop. Crazy cop!" She got off him and walked out laughing.

This time Namroc stood silent while Nelks stepped forward. "I'm sorry Nelks," he continued softly, "I just wanted to get back the people who gave me this virus. You have no idea what it's like to live this way, do you? Do you even care?"

"I do," Nelks replied, "and I'm sorry to." Nelks placed his hand over Amano's face. After a second, he stepped away and Amano slumped over-dead.

"Guys," Dreamer said bursting into the Observation Room, "we have another problem."

Rocker was sitting on the couch lost in thought. As Nelks, Namroc, and DarkWater entered Dreamer sat down beside her. She put her arm around Rocker who looked up. "Remember that girl, in the subway?" she asked. "She's my sister."

Celia rolled over waking slowly. The warm sheets felt good and the bed was so comfortable. She opened her eyes taking in the surroundings. She bolted up upright when last nights events returned to her. She looked down at her bloody shirt and saw the bullet hole. But her skin bore no mark, not even a scar.

Looking around, she didn't recognize the room. But some clean clothes had been placed over bed.

"We're just going to have to find another way to get the code," Archangel explained to LongFu and Maxi.

"Yes, but how," Maxi interrupted. The three of them were sitting at the table. "By now they're doubling the guards around Flora."

"And we still have to find our prodigy," LongFu interrupted.

Archangel turned when he heard the bedroom door open. Celia stepped out in the new clothes they had gotten for her. "Welcome back," he said. "Come have a seat, are you hungry?" She nodded stepping forward.

Maxi went into the kitchen to search for some food. "We have some TasteeWheat, that okay with you?"

"Yeah," Celia replied. Maxi grabbed a box, some milk, and a bowel and spoon bringing them back. She didn't hesitate grabbing the food and starting to eat.

"Is there anything else we can help you with?" Archangel asked. Celia paused as she ate. She shook her head and went back to eating. "You had a pretty rough day yesterday, but somebody up there doesn't think it's your time to go." She ignored his comment and kept on eating.

DarkWater set her RSI Mapper to Bluepill. She took out Amano's PDA and attached it to her cellphone. She walked into an apartment building taking the elevator to the eleventh floor. As the doors opened, DarkWater-Blue turned on the code scrambler.

LongFu's cellphone rang. "Hello?" she answered.

"The code's scrambled. I can't see anything," Jude said.

"From where?"

"I don't know, everything was normal, then it wasn't."

"Titus, Jinx, Ickies!" LongFu called out. The three came from the other bedroom. "We've got company."

Celia looked panicked. "Archangel," LongFu instructed, "stay with her."

LongFu drew dual pistols and headed into the hall with Jinx and Titus. Ickies and Maxi stood back by the apartment doorway. The elevator beeped but before opening it exploded throwing the doors across the hallway.

Celia backed up. Archangel drew his pistol and stood in front of her facing the door. Just then, a crash of breaking glass shattered through the apartment. Archangel turned as DarkWater ran forward pointing her pistol at his head.

The other elevator opened as Namroc his crew opened fire. The only one not there, was Rocker.

"DarkWater," Archangel started, "how nice of you to drop in."

"Sly sarcastic comments are my department," she retorted.

"I'm sorry, I keep forgetting."

"Give me the girl, that's all we came for."

"It was your beloved captain who shot her, need I remind you."

"Give her to me or I'll..."

"Or you'll what. Blow my ****ing brains. Go ahead."

"I saved you, and you had to ****ing turn your back on me."

"So this isn't about her, it's really about you."

"Don't change the ****ing subject here!"

"You know the problem with you. You just cannot understand that I found a higher calling to give my life to."

"Oh for ****'s sake!"

"That's because the only calling you fight for is yourself. And whoever doesn't bow down and worship you will be at your mercy."

"Then you should know how ****ing serious I am. And that I'll do it, I ****ing swear!"

"No, you won't." Despite the skirmish going on in the hallway, the shot resounded throughout the small apartment. Archangel was stunned, but DarkWater shot him again. She emptied the entire clip into his chest until he fell over.

Celia stood frozen. DarkWater grabbed her and ran for the window. LongFu returned the room firing dual pistols. The bullets whizzed past her as she dove out the window. She hit the ground running toward the vehicles.

"Fall back," Namroc ordered. They retreated outside and sped away in their vehicles.

By the elevator, Maxi found the code scrambler. She smashed the PDA.

"Holy ****," the operated said leaning to his console. He made an outgoing call to DarkWater. "You have to go back and finish was you started."

"What happened?" DarkWater asked sitting in the back of an Escalade with Rocker (driving), Celia, and Dreamer. Namroc (driving), Jackvaxx, Hakrubatix, and Zerodyme were in the lead Escalade.

"Archangel," their operator continued, "he's not dead. His code, it's nothing like I've ever seen before."

LongFu was amazed as Archangel stood up. He looked at her for a second then charged the window. Jumping he crashed through the bricks and mortar like it was styrofoam. Landing he bolted after the vehicles so fast he could have been flying.

DarkWater looked out the back window when she saw him running toward them. Snapping her phone shut she yelled, "Stop the car, now!" She dropped her spent magazine and slipped in a fresh clip. Rocker saw him coming and slammed the breaks. Namroc slowed down stopping just ahead. DarkWater bolted from the vehicle and ran toward him. Drawing her pistol she fired as the distance between them closed.

"I'm going after her," Rocker said running from. "Stay with Dreamer," Rocker said to Celia. She ran after them.

"I'm coming to," Jackvaxx chimed in.

When the clip ran out, DarkWater dropped her pistol drawing her knife as Archangel attacked with his kung fu mastery. Rocker and Jackvaxx jumped into the fight, but Archangel moved so fast none of their attacks could make a decent landing. He kicked Jackvaxx so hard he slammed into a wall breaking him into the bricks by three inches. To Rocker, a hard punch flipped her three times in the air before come down. DarkWater raised the bowie knife to strike, but Archangel caught it with one hand and grabbed her throat with the other.

"There is no spoon," he snorted picking her off the ground.

Jackvaxx kicked him in the knee shattering his kneecap. "There is if I say there is, *****!" he shouted grabbing Archangel around the neck.

Archangel let go of DarkWater and spun around. He threw Jackvaxx to the ground when DarkWater stabbed him the back of the neck. Archangel wheezed the words: "There is no spoon." Just then, he died. Or so it seemed because as he laid on the ground lifeless his RSI exploded into thousands of code fragments which shook the ground. The Matrix simulation absorbed the code and rewrote itself.

"What happened," Namroc asked the operator.

"I don't know. It was like, he was there. And then poof. He was gone. Like, he jacked out or something. But, you can't jackout without a hardline, it's impossible."

Poet straightened his tie and jacket. It was been a while for him to liaison with any agent, let alone Agent Grey. After the truce, Agent Grey was placed in charge of operations regarding redpills and his Zion contact, Tyndall. Even still, going into the heart of the machine power base, was not something that Poet, an exiled program himself, enjoyed.

Even as the turnstile doors were still swinging, all the machine guards stood with guns pointed at Poet, Namroc, Nelks, DarkWater, Jackvaxx, Rocker, and Celia. These were the only ones who volunteered for the trip. "We are here to see Agent Grey," Poet spoke slowly and clearly. This was not a time to mince words, especially if they wanted to get out of there alive.

The elevator opened and Agent Miles stepped out. "Let them through," he told the guards. "We have guaranteed safe passage, for now."

For now. Those words didn't provide much comfort, but they would have to do. Poet tucked the laptop under his arm and let the small troupe to the elevator.

Agent Grey was on the phone with Tyndall when they arrived. Even though she was in Zion, Agent Grey was able to get a line to her through various hovercrafts Zion had equipped to do so.

As Poet and the others entered, he stopped talking. Looking up he stood as Agent Miles stood by the door. Agent Grey placed Tyndall on speaker phone. "This is Tyndall, from Zion," Agent Grey said. "Speak freely."

Poet placed the laptop on his desk and opened it. "This code, was recorded by one of our operators. It is regarding a Zion operative named Archangel. As you can see, at this moment, his RSI changed." Agent Grey leaned forward. He was accustomed to seeing and translating the Matrix code. Unlike most exiles and redpills which have built in translators to their eye receptacles, agents translated the code into information directly in their mind.

"His RSI structure is similar to that of The One," Poet continued, "yet there are clear distinctions, here and here. When he had him subdued, his RSI exploded and we believe initiated a self-jackout procedure."

"What is the purpose of this information?"

Poet pressed a few buttons on the laptop. Then a video played of Amano's confession. Afterward, Poet went on: "We believe that these EPN are trying to mimic the RSI of The One so they can upload a virus to the Source that will destroy the Matrix."

"If that's what they're doing," Tyndall stated obviously shaken by the news and the thought that the truce may be ended, "then we will take the necessary disciplinary actions against our crew."

"Then for your sake," Agent Grey spoke solemnly, "and theirs, I suggest you find them before we do. Maintaining the stability of the Matrix is of our highest priority, surely you can understand that."

"I do," Tyndall said, a slight quiver coming into her voice. Agent Grey pushed a button ending the call.

"Agent Miles, deploy the sentinels."

"It has already been done," he replied.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Agent Grey asked Poet.

"There is, one small favor," he turned looking at Celia.

Agent Miles led them into a small room. He handed Celia a black pill. "Black pill?" Rocker asked.

"Did you happen to bring any red ones?" Agent Miles asked getting a sarcasm in his voice.

"No."

"This will feel unpleasant," Agent Miles said to the girl, "but it is just as effective." After she swallowed the pill Agent Miles gripped the back of her neck. He closed his eyes. His eyed seemed to move in REM fashion under his eyelids. Suddenly, Celia threw up all over herself. Then her body turned to green streaming codes before it exploded. Agent Miles opened his eyes. "I will send the coordinates to your operator. She will not be flushed, and will remain on life support until you arrive."

"Thank you," Rocker said.

DarkWater stepped forward and shook Agent Miles' hand. "It's so good that we could have this nice little chat without killing each other." Her RSI Mapper beeped. "Well, see ya later." She turned away quickly and started to walk to the door.

"What did you do to me?" Agent Miles asked.

"Nothing. Not a thing," DarkWater stated.

"It appears we have overstayed out welcome," Poet said.

The group moved back to the elevator. When the doors closed, Namroc spoke up: "What did you do?"

"Nothing," DarkWater protested though she held back a gleeful smile like when a parent asks a girl the same question after she landed her first kiss.

The elevators opened on the bottom floor and they walked out slowly. They made it through the turnstile doors outside where their vehicles were waiting for them.

The monitors on The Red Dragon started beeping. "We have incoming!" Jude yelled. LongFu and Archangel ran up behind him. "Sentinels, closing in fast."

Just then the phone rang. LongFu took the headset, "Operator," she said.

"This is Tyndall," the voice reported, "I need you to report back to Zion immediately."

"Why do we have sentinels on our ***."

"They will not breach the perimeter of Zion. You must return as quickly as possible." The line went dead.

"EMP charged," Jude called out.

"Where are they?" she barked.

"Just outside of EMP range."

"Captain?" Maxi said shaken up.

"Get the others; man the gun torrents."

"Yes, captain." She said leaving the Core.

"There's the bomb."

"Blow the EMP and we'll get the hell outta here."

Jude shut down the systems and fired the EMP. The ship sent out a blue electro-magnetic wave which took out the bomb. It dropped hitting the ground sending an echoing clang until it stopped rolling.

"Fire up the engines!" LongFu barked.

"Captain," Archangel's voice came over the PA system, "you're needed on the bridge!"

"Haul ***, people!" LongFu shouted running to the bridge.

LongFu strapped herself in as Archangel finished booting up the systems. "We just have to make it through the walls."

"We're going to make it," Archangel assured her.

The engines fired up as Jude strapped himself into the engineers chair. The ship took off with three sentinels closing in fast. Maxi and Jinx took rear left and right gun torrents. The massive miniguns fired out thousands of rounds as the sentinels swirled about like gigantic squids hunting prey.

LongFu took a sharp dive. Titus fired up another starboard gun torrent and opened fire. He took out one just as Jinx took out another. The third alluded Maxi as she found it more difficult to concentrate. By the time Jinx took out the third, five more were on their tail.

Archangel launched a virtual simulation of the sewer systems on his monitor and found the quickest route. "EMP charged," Jude called out.

"Right now, just keep those ****s off me!" LongFu shouted. She turned sharply again as the number of sentinels increased. It seemed as though the sentinels were bored with peace and were dying for some action-literally. Two and three more sentinels were shot down before one got in close enough to dismember one of the thrusters. Maxi screamed as one sentinel's squid-like arms rapped around her gun torrent. The long arms reached inside stabbing her everywhere.

"Jinx," Archangel called out, "they got Maxi."

Jinx turned firing taking out the sentinel. But as it fell the gun torrent cage broke off and fell with them. "Maxi!" he yelled but it was no use.

"We're five hundred kilometers and closing," LongFu yelling hoping this would reassure them. But a lot can happen in five hundred kilometers.

Against Commander Locke's best wishes, the dock doors sat open. Tyndall didn't trust the machines either, but the life of a crew was too important to back down. Six APU Units were sitting in the doorway and growing as others stepped in line. The unmanned gun torrents outside were aimed in the same direction.

"Three hundred kilometers!" LongFu yelled. She was losing thrusters fast. The sentinels were swarming the small ship from all sides. She rocked back and forth throwing a few off, but the swarm came to the bridge.

"I"ve lost Jinx and Titus," Jude said.

LongFu fought the tears. It was time to be brave. "Two hundred kilomters," Archangel said trying to reassure her. The swarm of sentinels passed in front and then turned facing them down. They rammed head on into The Red Dragon smashing the front glass to pieces. LongFu dropped to the floor as the sentinels ripped Archangel's body apart.

The vessel crashed into the earth. It flipped and turned rolling over under such great momentum. The sentinel that stayed on it were crushed under its weight. One of the sentinels that was inside the bridge hit Jude's chair. It dislodged it from place and smashed against the console crushing Jude's body.

Commander Locke stared at the monitors which showed the sentinels swarm around the remains of The Red Dragon. One of them stopped, it's antenna pointed toward Zion, now only a hundred kilometers out. "Close the doors," he ordered. "Now!" The gates to Zion slowly started to shut. The sentinel closed it's antenna and returned it's attention to the primary target, tearing apart the small ship below them.

As the sentinels broke apart the ship with high powered welding lasers, LongFu crawled to the Core. The ship was on it's side, and the operator's console was in the center of the core. Wiping the tears from her eyes she stood up. She climbed the grated floor trying to reach the EMP button. A sentinel broke through the side, which was now the top. Reaching down it grabbed her leg. She grabbed the console as held on as the sentinel started to tear through her flesh. Reaching out she cried, "For Morpheus." She hit the EMP. The shockwave burned through entire swam of sentinels dropping them to the ground like flies.

Commander Locke returned his gaze to the monitors. Every sentinel that was sent, had been destroyed. And a lone heat signature was moving slowly toward Zion.