Agent Smith

— "Agent Smith, you're removed from the operation," — the head of security barked coldly, without a trace of sympathy. He glanced at Smith, not even bothering to hide how uncomfortable he was looking at her.

— "What?!" — Smith stepped forward, and every movement of her body felt foreign. She still couldn’t get used to these damned hips, squeezed by the jeans, which swayed again as she took a step.

— "You're not part of it," — he cut her off, not even attempting to explain. His eyes showed a mix of irritation and discomfort.

— "Is this because I’m a woman now?!" — she almost growled, unable to hold back her rage. Passersby froze, but the boss didn't flinch, only pressed his lips together stubbornly.

— "That has nothing to do with it!" — he snapped, suddenly lowering his eyes to the ground, as if the answer to all their problems was hidden there. — "We can't afford the risk. He'll use you."

— "Use me?" — her voice sliced through the air like a blade. — "What the hell are you talking about?!"

— "You know exactly what, Smith," — his voice lowered but remained just as firm. — "What if he... well, makes you his wife again, Smith," — the boss struggled to find the words, but his tone remained unyielding. His eyes slid over her figure, still barely recognizing the former agent in it. — "You understand this is his game. He changed you for that very reason."

Smith felt the world around her shrink, her fury replaced by a cold dread.

— "What the hell?!" — her voice was rough, nearly breaking into a rasp.

— "You know why," — the boss ground out, holding back his irritation. — "That psychopath didn’t just turn you into a woman, he made you a copy of his wife. This isn’t a coincidence, Smith. He’s been waiting for this, all so you’d end up in his hands again."

— "You think I'll let him control me again?" — Smith retorted sharply, but deep down, she understood what her boss was saying.

— "It’s not about what you want, Smith. It’s about reality. You’re underestimating how much he can bend you to his will. You’ve seen what he’s capable of and how it changes everything," — Thomas looked into her eyes intently. — "We don’t know what else he planted in your head, Smith. You may think you're in control, but what if he activates something we don't know about? What if, in the end, you end up on his side?"

— "That’s absurd," — Smith spun around sharply, trying to hide the sudden trembling in her hands. Her thoughts raced through her mind. Deep inside, she already felt that he hadn’t just changed her appearance. Moments flashed in her head that she couldn’t explain — unwanted emotions, strange images, and memories that surfaced in dreams and sometimes even while she was awake. She had never spoken of them, but they were there, creeping into her consciousness.

She clenched her fists, feeling the anger flood her. A sharp pain flared in her chest, mixed with a sense of helplessness. Her heart pounded as if she were being torn apart from within.

— "Yeah, I feel something strange in my head," — her voice was quiet when she admitted it. — "But that doesn’t mean I’ll give in. I’ll catch him. I’ll make him fix it."

Thomas placed a hand on her shoulder, but withdrew it after she jerked away in annoyance. They both knew that Smith was changing, and that she wasn’t the same agent she... he used to be.