The Rebels William Rose, also known as "Acid" and Paula Menanoa, also known as "Shock" were plugged into the Matrix, like it was a normal day. The atmosphere was beautiful, with a sky as blue as a Siamese cat's eye and grass as green as the code they were used to seeing. Everything was perfect. They sat under the shade of a tree, philosophizing and talking about their lives before they were freed. There was an occasional kiss now and then. Ever since they had met on the ship Uniteus, they had fallen in love. William stroked Paula's golden locks as she lay against him in the grass. Life was so peaceful.

Out of the corner of her eye, however, Paula saw someone on the street change. Not like they were changing their clothes, more like they were morphing into someone else. And to her horror, she discovered that it was an Agent. She told William what she saw. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the ship. Wave, the ship's operator, answered. William alerted him about the Agent, and Wave directed to the nearest exit – a phone in a pizzeria four blocks away.

William and Paula stood up and tried to move without being seen by the Agent. They were not successful. He apparently had been sent to kill them. They had foolishly gone into the Matrix and without guns and remained without them throughout their visit. Now they really needed weapons, and they had none.

They ran hand in hand to their destination with the Agent hot on their trail. One block had passed, and Paula yelled, "Oh Will, I hope we can make it!" And William replied, "We will, I know we will." There was a construction site going on ahead, but they ran right through. They couldn't afford to make a detour.

Two blocks down. They thought they had lost the Agent, they couldn't see him anymore. They continued their pace, though.

Three blocks down. They were wrong about the Agent. He had gained on them. He was closer than ever before, and he started firing his first shots at them. William could see the Mama Lorena's Pizzeria getting closer. All they had to do was get inside and answer the phone.

Last block down. William and Paula were nearer to their goal. They opened up the pizzeria's door, and a bell jingled as they ran inside. William's hand was almost touching the pay phone that was ringing when a shot rang out. He watched as Paula dropped to her knees on the black-and-white checked tile floor. The Agent had shot her in her back, and her blood spilled out. She gasped for air. William ignored the phone and put his arms out to her. Paula choked, "Please, Will, answer the phone. Save yourself."

"I could not live without you, Paula, I just couldn't. I love you so much."

"I know, William. I love you too."

The Agent stood at the doorway, watching this scene. He had paused for a moment such as this to happen. He had seen it many times before he had killed. Waterfalls of tears, confessions of love, last words. He had seen it all before. The owners of the pizzeria gaped at the scene, but their memories of the killing would be erased, as it had happened numerous times before.

Time was up. The Agent walked up to Paula and placed the gun to her upper back and fired. The bullet went through her heart and she fell limp in William's arms. He sobbed and kept repeating her name. He forgot all about the phone ringing and going back to the real world. He just wouldn't be the same if he went back. He hated the cold, harsh reality that Paula was dead.

The Agent placed his gun to William's temple. William looked up at him with bloodshot eyes and blotchy cheeks. He whispered, "Why did it have to be her? Such a wasted beauty... But I'm not afraid. Please, kill me. I want to be with the one I love." He closed his eyes and looked downward. The Agent pulled the trigger back and placed a bullet in William's brain. William collapsed on the floor.

And with a final glance at the gruesome scene with blood spattered on the white walls and black-and-white checked tile floor, and the two Rebel lovers lying dead on it, the Agent pocketed his gun. He turned away and walked out the door, the bell jingling.