The Matrix Page #4

19.

18 CONTINUED:
18

NEO:

This is insane! Why is thishappening to me? What did I do?

I'm nobody. I didn't do anything.

He climbs up onto the window ledge. Hanging onto theframe, he steps onto the small ledge. The scaffold seems

even farther away.

NEO:

I'm going to die.

The WIND suddenly BLASTS up the face of the building,

knocking Neo off balance. Recoiling, he clings harder tothe frame, and the phone falls out of his hand.

He watches as it is swallowed by the distance beneathhim.

NEO:

This is insane! I can't do this!

Forget it!

He climbs back into the office just as a cop opens thedoor.

Sh*t!

NEO:

19 EXT. SKYSCRAPER 19

The Agents lead a handcuffed Neo out of the revolvingdoors, forcing his head down as they push him into thedark sedan.

Trinity watches in the rearview mirror of her motorcycle.

TRINITY:

Sh*t.

20 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 20

CLOSE ON a camera monitor; a wide angle view of a whiteroom where Neo is sitting at a table alone. We MOVE INTO

the monitor, entering the room as if the monitor was awindow.

At the same moment, the door opens and the Agents enter.

Agent Smith sits down across from Neo. A thick manila

envelope slaps down on the table. The name on the file:

"Anderson, Thomas!A."

(CONTINUED)

THE MATRIX - Rev. 3/9/98 20.

20 CONTINUED:
20

AGENT SMITH:

As you can see, we've had our eye

on you for some time now, Mr.

Anderson.

He opens the file. Paper rattle marks the silence as heflips several pages. Neo cannot tell if he is looking atthe file or at him.

AGENT SMITH:

It seems that you have been living

two lives. In one life, you are

Thomas A. Anderson, program writer

for a respectable software

company. You have a social

security number, you pay your

taxes and you help your landlady

carry out her garbage.

The pages continue to turn.

AGENT SMITH:

The other life is lived in

computers where you go by the

hacker alias Neo, and are guilty

of virtually every computer crime

we have a law for.

Neo feels himself sinking into a pit of sh*t.

AGENT SMITH:

One of these lives has a future.

One of them does not.

He closes the file.

AGENT SMITH:

I'm going to be as forthcoming as

I can be, Mr. Anderson. You are

here because we need your help.

He removes his sunglasses, his eyes are an unnatural ice-

blue.

AGENT SMITH:

We know that you have been

contacted by a certain individual.

A man who calls himself Morpheus.

Whatever you think you know about

this man is irrelevant. The fact

is that he is wanted for acts of

terrorism in more countries than

any other man in the world.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

21.

20 CONTINUED:
(2) 20

AGENT SMITH (CONT'D)

He is considered by manyauthorities to be the most

dangerous man alive.

He leans closer.

AGENT SMITH:

My colleagues believe that I amwasting my time with you but Ibelieve you want to do the rightthing. It is obvious that you arean intelligent man, Mr. Anderson,

and that you are interested in thefuture. That is why I believe youare ready to put your pastmistakes behind you and get onwith your life.

Neo tries to match his stare.

AGENT SMITH:

We are willing to wipe the slateclean, to give you a fresh startand all we are asking in return isyour cooperation in bringing aknown terrorist to justice.

Neo nods to himself.

NEO:

Yeah. Wow. That sounds like a

real good deal. But I think I

have a better one. How about I

just give you the finger -

He does.

NEO:

And you give me my phone call!

Agent Smith puts his glasses back on.

AGENT SMITH:

You disappoint me, Mr. Anderson.

NEO:

You can't scare me with this

Gestapo crap. I know my rights.

I want my phone call!

Agent Smith smiles.

(CONTINUED)

22.

20 CONTINUED:
(3) 20

AGENT SMITH:

And tell me, Mr. Anderson, what

good is a phone call if you areunable to speak?

The question unnerves Neo and strangely he begins to feelthe muscles in his jaw tighten. The standing Agentssnicker, watching Neo's confusion grow into panic.

Neo feels his lips grow soft and sticky as they slowlyseal shut, melding into each other until all traces ofhis mouth are gone.

Wild with fear, he lunges for the door but the Agentsrestrain him, holding him in the chair.

AGENT SMITH:

You are going to help us, Mr.

Anderson, whether you want to or

not.

Smith nods and the other two rip open his shirt. From a

case taken out of his suit coat, Smith removes a long,

fiber-optic wire tap.

Neo struggles helplessly as Smith dangles the wire overhis exposed abdomen. Horrified, he watches as the

electronic device animates, becoming an organic creaturethat resembles a hybrid of an insect and a fluke worm.

Thin, whisker-like tendrils reach out and probe intoNeo's navel. He bucks wildly as Smith drops the creaturewhich looks for a moment like an uncut umbilical cord ---

before it begins to burrow, its tail thrashing as itworms its way inside.

21 INT. NEO'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 21

Screaming, Neo bolts upright in bed.

He realizes that he is home. Was it a dream? His mouth

is normal. His stomach looks fine. He starts to take a

deep, everything-is-okay breath when -The

PHONE RINGS.

It almost stops his heart. It continues RINGING,

building pressure in the room, forcing him up out of bed,

sucking him in with an almost gravitational force. He

answers it, saying nothing.

(CONTINUED)

21

THE MATRIX - Rev. 3/9/98

CONTINUED:

23.

21

MORPHEUS (V.O.)

This line is tapped so I must bebrief.

NEO:

The Agents -MORPHEUS

(V.O.)

They got to you first, but they'veunderestimated how important you

are. If they knew what I know,

you would probably be dead.

NEO:

What are you talking about? What

the hell is happening to me?

MORPHEUS (V.O.)

You're the One, Neo. You see, youmay have spent the last few yearslooking for me, but I've spentmost of my life looking for you.

Neo feels sick.

MORPHEUS (V.O.)

Do you still want to meet?

NEO:

... Yes.

CLICK.

MORPHEUS (V.O.)

Go to the Adams Street bridge.

He closes his eyes, unsure of what he has done.

22 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 22

It is just beyond the middle of the night; that time whenit seems there are no rules and everything feels unsafe.

Neo's boots scrape against the concrete. Every pair ofeyes he passes seems to follow him. Rain pours from ablack sky.

As he reaches the bridge, headlights creep in behind him.

He turns just as the car slides quickly to a stop besidehim. The back door opens.

TRINITY:

Get in.

THE MATRIX - Rev. 3/9/98 24.

23 INT. CAR 23

A large man named APOC is driving. Beside him is a

beautiful androgyne called SWITCH, aiming a large gun atNeo. WINDOW WIPERS BEAT HEAVILY against the windshield.

NEO:

What the hell is this?!

TRINITY:

It's necessary, Neo. For our

protection.

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