Life at FANWOOD: Season Three

Episode 1.2: What is the Matrix?

The Director put his hands up and said, “Okay, okay.  Perhaps it was wrong of me to put your friend on the-”

“Friends.  Plural,” Paris corrected irritably.

“Friends.  Plural,” he repeated in mock tone as he pointedly looked at Paris before he continued, “On the Grid, but it’s just a story!”

“A story?!  Your story got London shot.  Your story got ME shot.  Your story got London and Loki whisked away to who-knows-where.  Is that what your story was supposed to do?” Paris asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

The Director paused before he asked, “What is a story?”

Paris thought a moment and replied, “A story is a series of words and sentences about people, places, and things.  A story is to learn, to teach, and to enjoy.”

“Wrong.  A story is just ink on a page,” he responded.

“Okay.  I don’t know what universe you live in, but here, ink on a page is reality,” Paris said, “Now you’re going to get your computer, you’re going to sit down, and you’re going to bring them home.”

The Director shrugged and said, “I don’t have my computer here with me.”

Paris looked at Wattpad, who replied, “I can only bring people through.”

Tom walked to Paris’ computer and asked, “Would it work on your computer?”

Wattpad looked from Tom to the computer to The Director and said, “Well, it’s worth a shot.”

 -

As they walked along the sidewalk, Loki looked like a complete gentleman, cane and all.  London looked like – well – she looked like a lost kitten stuck in a thundering rainstorm.  She constantly looked around, trying to figure out where they were.

The city reminded her of New York City – busy, loud, rude, and a lot of people.  Car horns honked, obscenities were shouted, but worst of all, London had great comebacks for every vulgarity shouted.

A beautiful, blonde-haired woman in a red dress walked by and London stared after her.  For some reason, she seemed… familiar somehow, like she had seen that red clothed femme fatale somewhere before.

As she turned to look in the direction they were walking, she caught a glimpse of a black pickup truck turning the corner and driving towards them.  It was a Chevy Avalanche.  She had wanted to drive one ever since she saw the movie…

The truck pulled over to the sidewalk a few yards away from them.  She immediately tensed and prayed that she was wrong.  London glanced at Loki and then back to the truck.  When she saw two people emerge, her hopes shattered and gripped Loki’s arm tighter.

He looked at her in worry and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She nodded towards the truck where two men in white suits and white coats were leaning against the black vehicle nonchalantly.  They both had long white hair in dreadlocks, stern expressions on their faces, thin black sunglasses, and they looked exactly the same.

Matrix: Reloaded, her mind screamed, the Twins, as if she could somehow transmit her thoughts to Loki’s mind so he knew the danger ahead of them.

She didn’t know Morse Code, so she couldn’t communicate with Loki in any way except to guide him in another direction.  London stopped, bringing Loki to a halt.  She hoped the Twins weren’t waiting for someone – least of all, Loki and herself.

Loki took her signal and played along.  He looked in the window of a nearby electronics store and pointed to a phone on display as he turned to face the other way.

However, as they began to walk in the direction they had just turned in, an eerie, slow voice with an English accent said, “Excuse me.”

London stiffened and she felt Loki turn to face the Twins.  “Yes?” he replied calmly with a smile.

“We have something of yours,” the other Twin said as he pointed to London, who refused to turn around, “A voice?”

She slowly turned to face the Twins and glared at them through her sunglasses.

“Where is it?” Loki asked.

“Not here,” the first Twin replied.

“The Merovingian wants to speak with you, though,” the other Twin finished.

Loki placed a protective hand on London’s arm and said, “She’s not going anywhere without me.”

The first Twin smiled and responded, “She doesn’t have to.  He wants to talk to you, too.”