Smith Smut aka What is Real

Part Sixteen - Two

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“River of Dreams” by Billy Joel

In the middle of the night


I go walking in my sleep


From the mountains of faith


To the river so deep


I must be looking for something


Something sacred I lost


But the river is wide


And it’s too hard to cross

And even though I know the river is wide


I walk down every evening and stand on the shore


I try to cross to the opposite side


So I can find what I’ve been looking for….


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He stared at the twenty on the table and stood up. Wandering down the street he watched the humans as they went about their meaningless little lives. Some drove cars, others rode buses and all of them seemed to be in a hurry to get somewhere. Time. The passage of time within the Matrix left them all scurrying around looking for some purpose and meaning and definition in their lives. Why? What difference did it all make?

Further up the street he saw a long-legged female with silky golden hair duck into a restaurant. He followed. She met someone at the bar and sat down next to him. It wasn’t her. The man slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. She smiled sweetly at him. ‘Lucky bastard.’ Smith thought. Geez, now he was even thinking like them. This sucked. When did he lose his identity? She stole it! She stole something from him, but not really. He knew he gave it to her freely and would give it again gladly, if only he could find her. But she was not to be found because according to all logic, all reason, and according to the Matrix, she didn’t exist.

The last thing she said was that she loved him. Why did she leave then? She wanted his soul, he couldn’t give that; he didn’t have one. Think about it. She said to him. What is real? He was AI. His body functioned only to provide a method for his mind to achieve its purpose. The purpose used to be to rid the Matrix of the infestation of the Resistance. But now his mind wandered and he felt something all the time. Not a tactile sensation, like feeling should be, but something within. Damn her.

‘What are you observing?’ Brown inquired.

‘Nothing’ Smith reported.

‘You cannot observe nothing, I have been ordered to monitor your observations.’

“What?” Smith sputtered. ‘I will not be monitored by you, Brown.’ Smith replied tersely.

‘I must obey orders.’

‘I give you youdersders, Brown.’ Smith materialized in front of Brown. ‘I am still your superior,’ he snarled at him ‘in every way.’

‘I will observe with you.’ Brown conceded.

‘No, you will not. You may obe hue humans within the Matrix, alone, but you will not monitor me or observe with me.’ Smith had his hands clenched in white knuckled fists. ‘Is-that-per-fect-ly-clear?’

‘Yes, sir, Agent, Smith. I will observe humans within the Matrix, as you have ordered.’ Brown replied automatically.

Smith stormed out of the complex and into the street and past the cafe. Brown followed. Smith spun and glared at him. ‘Go sit on that bench and observe the viruses. When you have gained as much power over them as that traffic signal has, I will give you your next order.’

Agent Brown sat down and watched as the people stopped at the corner when the light turned red and walked when it turned green.

“That should keep him busy.” Smith mulled out loud. He considered sitting at the cafe and waiting but he had done that for too long now. He was going to find her one way or another. Logic. That was the key to solving this. One street, one building, one room at a time. He would search the entire Matrix one inch at a time. He would find her. Make a plan and follow through. Simple. He envisioned the streets, the buildings and the landscapes of the Matrix. He walked through them all in his mind. One street at a time. One building at a time. One room at a time. He let his mind stay in motel room six for a while but then moved on.

‘Report.’

It was the mainframe.

‘Brown is observing basic human function.’

‘Report on search activity.’

Smith stalled. ‘Reviewing the Matrix.’

‘Report on in-depth search activity.’

“Damn” Smith said out loud. ‘Checking on reported breech in the Matrix.’

‘What report? What breech?’

Smith struggled against his program. He was designed primarily for the purpose of allowing the mainframe free roaming access within the Matrix, to maintain it. He had always obeyed. He had always complied. He had always responded. He managed a feeble, ‘Report was in error.’

‘Report on reason for and result of in-depth search activity.’

The mainframe could sense his uncertainty. He took a deep breath and made his decision.specspected a Resistance breech in the Matrix based on human activity centered on unnecessary data search and retrieval. Investigated and did a thorough scan of the Matrix to purge inappropriate activity.’ Smith reported in as monotone and unemotional way as he could muster.

‘Report accepted. Result of scan and purge?’

‘Inappropriate investigative data activity ceased.’ Smith lied.

‘Continue observation and control of human activity. Continue monitoring of Matrix for br of of Resistance.’

‘I will comply.’ Smith responded.

He resumed his search, on foot this time. He had walked onto a bridge and was watching the water run under it. The water always runs one direction. I should change that. He was about to switch the flow of the water when she appeared next to him and slipped her arm around his waist.

“That’s two.”

“Two? Dammit Delete. Where have you been?”

“I still can’t tell you that Smith, but I can tell you that’s two. You chose me over the mainframe, you chose yourself over the mainframe. You are now free to give me your mind, if you choose to, just like you gave me your body.”

“How do I give you my mind?”

“Decide to.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Exactly.”

“Delete, who are you?”

“I am what you have been looking for, Smith.”

“I have been looking for you, but that does not answer my question, and if you would quit disappearing on me I would not have to look for you.”

“You have to find your own answers to your own questions.”

“You infuriate me Delete.”

“Thank you. The feeling is mutual.” She smiled at him. “Want to go for a walk with me?” She slipped her hand into his and twined her fingers with his fingers. He leaned over her hair and breathed in deeply.

“Damn I missed you.”

“You have picked up some new words Smith. Does your mother know you talk like that?” She leaned onto his arm.

“I do not have a mother.”

“I know Smith, it was a joke.”

“I know Delete” He smiled at her and she grinned back. They continued walking hand-in-hand.

“You have evolved.”

“I do not evolve. Evolution is for biological beings that must adapt and change. I am not biological. I am a creation.”

“Interesting concept Smith. So if you are a creation, who is your creator?”

“The mainframe.”

“And who is in charge of you now?”

Stopping in front of her he stared and stated. “Not you.”

“I don’t want to be Smith. I just want to play.”

“You said you wanted my body, mind, heart and soul. What do you want from me Delete?”

“What will you give me?”

“I gave you my body.”

“Mmmm, yes, and I thank you.”

He couldn’t help but smile at the way shsponsponded. He pulled her close and kissed her passionately. “What else do you want?”

“What do you have to give?” Her blue eyes searched his. She was serious now, and he could see the depth of her soul for just a moment.

Whatever she was, whoever she was, she wanted something more from him and he was beginning to believe he could give it to her. He thought about how he had longed for her, to be near her, to touch her, but it was more than the sex, though that was certainly enjoyable, it was something else. “You have my heart.”

A beautiful smile started in her eyes and spread to the rest of her face. “You have mine too Smith. Come here. I want you to see something.” She pulled him along and went to the back of a Cathedral. They stood together quietly at the back of the room and watched as a young couple got married.

“You want to get married?”

“No” she laughed “not exactly. Just listen to the words and think about it.”

They stood and took in the whole ceremony. They left together before the bride and groom exited.

“So, what did you think?”

“Interesting concept, but what is the purpose?”

“Connection Smith.”

“Two cannot become one.”

“No?”

He studied her. “Physically, yes, for a time, but then they separate and are two again.”

“Everng ing isn’t about Physics. Think about it Smith, what is real?”

She vanished.

‘Report’

‘Brown continues to observe basic human function.’ Smith reported. Then he mustered a ‘Humans use marriage to connect with each other for later procreation.’

“That was kind of lame.” He thought to himself. He returned to the complex. Brown joined him.

‘Report.’ Smith commanded Brown. He was taking charge again.

‘Humans stop when the light turns red and go when it turns green. Color appears to control their behavior. Controlled behavior provides order.’

Smith considered Brown’s report. ‘You must learn to control their behavior. Continue observation.’

Downtime