Cypher took in a measured smell of the red wine he was holding. "I love this restaurant," he said. "Good wine, halfway decent service for a change...and you." He looked up. The restaurant lighting was dim, and a harp played in the background. She wore a light fluffy pink dress, and it wasn't just ego that was telling him that she was the most beautiful creature in the entire room.

Trinity met his eyes, but said nothing.

Before he could dig into his steak he looked up and noticed five reporters struggling to get past reception. "How do they always know?" he whispered. "Sorry about this. I'll get rid of them-"

"It's all right," Trinity said. "I understand."

Cypher sighed. "You really are beautiful."

Trinity smiled.

Cypher stood and held out his hands as the reporters neared. "All right guys, let's keep this short. The lady and I are trying to enjoy our dinner."

"Mr. Cypher! Mr. Cypher!" A chorus of voices sounded.

"What's going to be your next movie?"

"My next movie is going to be alongside Johnny Depp and Tiera Brosman. It's going to have a lot of Kung Fu in it. And that's all I can tell you without my director killing me," Cypher replied.

"Mr. Cypher! Any plans for marriage?"

"This lady? This woman right here?" Cypher held out his hand, and Trinity took it as she stood. "This woman...is the love of my life. I can't imagine being with anyone else."

From the inside of the restaurant a shadowed figure left and went outside. He turned on his cell phone. "Rehabilitation complete."

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It was dark in the apartment as Seraph glided through the beaded doorway. "You wished to see me?" he asked the Oracle.

"Yes..." the Oracle whispered with a sigh as she took a drag from her cigarette. "Something has happened. Events are being changed out of both my control and my sight. Everything that we have planned has been destroyed. The One is no more."

Seraph stared at her in shocked. "How could this have happened? In one night?"

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(Five hours later)

Cypher was sleeping.

Trinity rose from the bed, dressed in a flimsy nightgown. She walked to the bathroom. The mirror was foggy. She wiped it with one hand as she reached for her hairbrush.

And stared a long time at her reflection.

"Not like this...." Switch whispered, almost pleaded Trinity. "Not like this."

A second later she fell to the carpet.

"Too late."

"Goddam you Cypher!"

"Don't hate me Trinity....I'm just a messenger. And now...I'm going to prove it to you. If Neo is the one, then there's no way I can pull this plug. There would have to be some kind of miracle to stop me? Right!? I mean, how can he be the One, if he's dead? You never did answer me bother. Whether you bought into Morpheus' bullshit. Look deep into his eyes...those big, pretty eyes, and tell me. Yes or No?"

Tank sneaked up behind him, gun in hand. All Trinity would have to do is keep talking...buy him a few more seconds. He raised his gun.

Trinity stared at Neo for a long moment. Then she made her decision. "No."

From the Nebecannezar Tank gaped as he heard the reply. The gun dropped from his hands with a clatter. He sank into the ground.

A low, dry chuckle from Cypher. "Good choice," he said, and pulled Neo's plug.

It was over in seconds.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Trinity's grip on the hand brush automatically tightened as she remembered. "No!" she shouted. "NOO!"

With all her strength she hurled the hairbrush at the mirror, which cracked. She stared at the broken reflections, hate for herself slowly building

In his sleep Cypher smiled a little.

"Where do we go from here?" the Oracle whispered in the darkness. "Where do we go?"

THE END.