Mara Trinity Scully > Exchange

Exchange

Silently raising his .45, the man in black fired.

Frozen in place, his chosen victim closed her young eyes and prayed to all powers of the universe that her death would be quick. This is the end. As the bullet hissed through the air, the older woman by her side decisively moved in its way. As the sharp sting of the piercing metal continued thought her weak human flesh, the older woman recognized its power. She reached a hand behind her back to grab the bullet out of its path into the desired target behind her, the daughter she loved so dearly.

Eyes flying open, the young woman screamed as she saw what had been done, the sacrifice of old for new.

The wounded woman turned around quickly to clasp the younger woman and they fell to the ground. Her protégé closed her eyes as in death, already guessing her dying mentor’s plan. Together they prayed the agent would not check them.

The agent smiled. Two in one. He leapt out through the window and disappeared into the moonlit night.

The two women were silent, drenched in the puddle of crimson. They lay there, breathing in and out, not able to express their tumultuous emotions any other way but quiet tears and clinging to one another.

At last, the older woman reached up to stroke her face gently, serenity expanding faster than the life-force ebbing out of her.

“Evelyn, don’t cry. Everything occurs in the Matrix for a reason.”

Tears streamed down Evelyn’s face. She slowly moved into a position where she could gently wrap her arms around her surrogate mother and rock her tenderly. “But Sibyl...” she murmured.

The old woman stroked the blood stained blonde hair. “Dearest girl. You’ve been my shinning star, my truest love and my deepest care. And I need to tell you something. Something vitally important to you, to me, and to the human race.” Sibyl chuckled. “Melodramatic, I know, but as you know my line of work…it’s understandable. We have kept this from you until now because of our fear of the agents. If they had known of your importance beforehand, you would not be here, holding a dying woman in your arms.”

Sibyl reached up to brush another tear off of Eveyln’s cheek. “They’re mean brutes, those agents. The older they grow, the more they fight us, the more human they get—tricky, deceitful, angry and careless. We have feared them too long, you know. Their defeat is inevitable.

“As you know, my mother sent me to guide you.” Both women smiled, remembering. “You, the little rich brat, lost in the world of computers, thinking you were invincible—hiding from responsibility. And you were in that terrible relationship with that John character. Goodness. What a little fiery you were. I loved you from the moment I was debriefed about you on my ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, in the real world.”

Tears continued to roll down Eveyln’s cheeks. Sibyl took a deep breath and continued. “You are a very special woman, Evie. Fate has much in store for you. In fact, you’ll find out all about your fate when you meet my mother. And it’ll scare the shit out of you.” She chuckled again. “Fate has the tendency to do that.

“Like this. I’ve always known I’d die for you, dear heart. Or at least, that is what my mother told me. She said the day I closed my eyes and welcomed death…that day would be my last, not yours. And that another would take my place as your guide, your guardian, your teacher.” She laughed weakly. “And knowing him, he will be here at any minute.”

Pausing, Sibyl reached up to touch the young woman’s face again, “Tell him that there was nothing he could do. This is my time. Fate cannot be altered.

“I want you to remember all I taught you. And don’t ever lose hope. A warrior’s life is long and hard road, but you will have the strength to survive it. Being unplugged is only the beginning.”

Her eyes shut as the pain grew denser and stronger.

But there was more, much more to say.

Slower this time, “And when you meet my brother, take care of him.”

Evelyn jerked in surprise. “Your brother? I thought you said…”

“Yes. My brother. He’s been dead for years like I told you, but he is returning...even now. I do believe I caught a glimpse of him a few years back. Staring at you, actually. He’s a great man...

Her quiet chuckle turned into a painful racking cough. As she spat out blood, Sibyl shuddered and shook with the pain. Eveyln’s heart throbbed as her mind spun.

Then there was a noise at the door. Afraid that it was another agent, Evelyn jerked her head to the drawer where she had left her gun.

Sibyl faintly whispered, “Be...strong...” And she was gone.

At that moment, a tall black man in a long dark trench coat entered the room accompanied by two cautious and armed twins. His mirror shades glinted in the moonlight that streamed through the open window the agent had leapt from. He took them off as he saw the two women on the floor.

“My god. Sibyl” he whispered.

All at once, Eveyln recognized him but was silent.

“She’s gone?”

The woman nodded.

The man swore violently and walked over to kneel beside the prone body. Taking the dead woman’s hand gently into his, he kissed it and murmured, “I could have saved you, and you knew it.”

Wiping the last tear from her cheek, Evelyn looked him in the eye and said without waver in her voice, “She told me to tell you that there was nothing you could do. And that this was her time.”

He gazed at the young woman, calculating and evaluating.

Taking a deep gulp of air, she gently touched his arm, “Fate cannot be altered.”

Flinching, the man looked away, startled by his old love’s words and the strength of the blood-stained woman before him.

At last he looked again at her.

“You must be Trinity. I am Morpheus”

This is the beginning.

Sibyl’s last words echoed in her mind.

As a new quiet strength flowed into her, Trinity nodded and replied, “I’ve been looking for you.”

End of Transmission

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