USH'S MATRIX GAME 2006 THIRD ASSIGNMENT- 'The Fortress'

Sirin takes the G36 and slings it over her back.

"Poor guy..."

When the boat reaches the shore, she steps out of the boat, two KG9s drawn.

Melkor follows, holding his glocks firmly.

Heph drops the oar back in the boat, glances back at the Hunter's corpse, then steps out onto the shore and marches towards the Door, twirling the Key in his hand.

"They're hunting us specifically," Mors says, "because of that damned Key! Heph never should have grabbed it; we'd've never been in this situation. And we can't prep an EMP to go off, it'd kill those still in the Matrix."

Klez, as you are about to pick up the Hunter's weapons, you think you see movement through the corner of your eye on the shore. Hard to tell through the mist.

The island is no more than twenty metres wide, much of it taken up by the small hut, into which an old metal door is set.

---

"Holy Mother of God..." says Finn, who is checking the scope. Marduk looks... concerned.

"What've we got, Sequel?" asks Dallas.

"Incoming sentinels. A few minutes out." Sequel has gone whiter than you might have thought was possible.

"How many?"

"Two or three..."

"Hah! Ok then."

"... groups."

"You can't be sure if there are two or three groups?" interjects Ariadne.

"Err... they'e kinda mixing and merging..."

"How many, Sequel?" asks Dallas, firmly.

"Each g-gg-g-g-group is about a... a.... a..."

Dallas exaggerates a loud yawn.

"...a thousand." finishes Sequel. Sweat is running dowmn his brow. Though that kinda makes sense.

Mors' jaw drops.

"Two or three thousand?!" Mors says, incredulous. "We've got two or three thousand Sentinels coming straight towards us?!"

Sequel nods, in a sort of crescendo, beginning so slightly that no-one notices, and ending so violently that his head may come off.

"Well... that's great news!" says Dallas, with a wide smile.

"Please tell me that's not an accurate guess...or something like that..."

Ares stares at Dallas.

"Wait, what?"

"It's no mistake," says Finn.

"Calculate the overlap," says Marduk. Finn nods.

Melis needs to lean on something...

Heph steps towards the hut with purpose, holding the Key between his thumb and finger.

"We ready for this?" Heph asks, not stopping to look at his colleague, just making for the Door...

Sirin eyes Klez as she steps out of the boat.

"You okay?"

Klez cannot see it any more.

But he is then shocked when the Hunter, entirely whole and flame-free, suddenly sits bolt upright next to him.

Klez, your hand is on his assault rifle, still stuck fast in the Hunter's grip. He turns to face you.

---

"What what?" says Dallas, talking loudly over the alarm.

"I thought I..." Klez starts, still gazing through the fog. "I thought I saw something."

Then, when the Hunter bolts upright, Klez's mouth hangs open again.

"How did...wait, what?" Klez stutters, staring at the Hunter.

Sirin gives a startled cry as he bolts upright.

He pulls his gun out of your graps and stands.

He then starts to make his way towards the door.

"I knew he wouldn`t die like this"- Melkor gives a short, slightly hysterical laugh. "Can it all become even more insane?"

"What do you mean what what?!" Ares shouts over the alarm, as it increases in volume. "There's thousands of Sentinels coming and you're not the LEAST bit alarmed. What's up?"

"It means we've got them scared!" announces Dallas, proudly. Big smile.