Billy took a deep breath. He now felt more certain that perhaps the best way to do a job was through complete focus, even if it meant driving yourself half mad with the effort, pushing to the absolute limit. His perspective on filmmaking had changed completely. The method was good, but it required a different approach. He understood that he liked to explore the character emotionally and theoretically before diving into the practical side—something that seemed to slip away once he was in the role. The Matrix was, without a doubt, a rush of emotion and action, and if all went according to plan, the first installment would be ready by June 1999, the second by June 2000, and the third by June 2001—small fragments of a monumental project.
– Still cranking out amazing work. – said Anne-Carrie, flipping through Billy's comic sketches. She admired the progress. Billy had real talent when it came to drawing. Chapter 21 of Eyeshield 21 was coming together under his hand. Every trace of his effort was now aimed at minimizing unnecessary labor, but breathing life back into every frame was particularly challenging.
– It's a series that demands a lot of work. – said Billy, doing everything he could to perfect the design of the football action scenes. A powerful move, and a solid approach to great craftsmanship.
– It's animated, sure, but you make it feel so vivid. So real that I honestly believe no one will come close to this for years. – Anne-Carrie added, her tone smooth and slightly unguarded. It was a casual comment. From a distance, Charlize was observing thoughtfully. She understood something deep—that when jealousy burns, it exposes raw truth. Billy's natural selection put him at one in a million, almost as if fate had chosen him. Few could rival him; in fact, hardly anyone had the power Billy seemed to radiate in every field he touched. It made him magnetic.
He adjusted his pencil. Amid the noise of the studio, his turn was approaching. In thirty minutes, he would be up, transported in a shuttle less than thirty meters away to begin his next scene. The production set, on a closed-off street—first in Australia, later in Oakland—would serve as the location for the day's shoot. A perfect space for the journey and the moment. How strange, then, that everything would eventually be stitched together in the editing room, waiting for the right moment to come alive.
– Time for your shoot. – Andy called out.
Billy took a deep breath. This particular set looked like a small bazaar, a pop-up fair, and he was about to tackle a demanding action sequence. His stunt double stood about ten meters away, already warming up. Though the task ahead was intense, it was still part of the craft.
– Scene 34. Take 2. –
Trinity: Be careful.
Neo: Hi.
Seraph: You're looking for the Oracle.
Neo: Who are you?
Seraph: I am Seraph. I can take you to her. But first, I must apologize.
Neo: Apologize for what?
Seraph: For this.
Billy inhaled deeply as the actor working alongside him stepped in. They launched into a flurry of blows—each move choreographed, a dance of strikes and counters rooted in Karate. The routine, rehearsed for ten days straight, had been grueling. They jumped on tables, performed stunts supported by green screens and wires that lifted them into position.
As they fought, the fluidity of their movements brought the choreography to life. Every reaction was on point. They sold the fight.
– Cut. – Andy said, touching his forehead.
– Let's reset and go again from the fight sequence. – he added, as Billy let out a long breath. What else could he do? These were the hard parts—the taxing, explanatory ones—that made action scenes such a challenge.
Billy repeated the scene four more times, until his feet and hands were burning from the impact. It was a sharp pain that left him gasping.
…
Seraph: Good. The Oracle has made enemies. I had to be sure.
Neo: Sure of what?
Seraph: That you are The One.
Neo: You could've just asked.
Seraph: No. You do not truly know someone until you fight them. Come. She's waiting.
Link: Where the hell did they go?
Neo: Backdoors, right? Programmer access.
Seraph: [nods]
Neo: How do they work?
Seraph: The code is hidden in locks. One position opens a lock. Another position opens one of these doors.
Neo: Are you a programmer?
Seraph: [shakes his head]
Neo: Then what are you?
Seraph: I protect what matters most.
Oracle: Well, come on. I'm not going to bite you. Get over here and let me take a look at you. My goodness, just look at you! Turned out alright, didn't you? How do you feel?
They moved through a set designed to rotate on a circular track, but with the magic of cinema, it became a straight labyrinth. They just had to sell the illusion, bring it to life, give it shape. They paused—it had been efficient.
Nothing about it could be denied, regardless of the reasons they had or found. They walked across a plaza, now empty, but the angle and framing always gave a sense of a fixed place, one that was hard to escape.
Neo: I, uh…
Oracle: I know you're not sleeping. We'll get to that. Why don't you sit down this time?
Neo: Maybe I'll stand.
Oracle: Alright, suit yourself.
Neo: I felt like sitting.
Oracle: I know. So. Let's get the obvious out of the way.
Neo: You're not human, are you?
Oracle: Well, can't get more obvious than that.
Neo: If I had to guess, I'd say you're a program from the machine world. Him too.
Oracle: So far, so good.
Neo: But if that's true, then maybe you're part of the system, another form of control.
Oracle: Keep going.
Neo: I guess the real question is, how can I trust you?
Oracle: Bingo. That's the tough one, isn't it? The bad news is, you'll never really know whether I'm here to help you or not. So it's really up to you. You just have to make up your damn mind: either accept what I'm going to tell you, or reject it. Candy?
Neo: Do you already know what I'll choose?
Oracle: I wouldn't be much of an Oracle if I didn't.
Neo: But if you already know, then how can I make a choice?
Oracle: Because you didn't come here to make the choice—you've already made it. You're here to understand why you made it. Thought you'd have figured that out by now.
Neo: Why are you here?
Oracle: Same reason. I love candy.
Neo: But why help us?
Oracle: We're all here to do what we're all here to do. I care about one thing, Neo: the future. And believe me, I know—the only way forward is together.
Neo: Are there other programs like you?
Oracle: Not like me, but… see those birds? At some point, someone wrote a program to control them. Same with the trees, the wind, the sunrise, the sunset. Programs are everywhere. The ones doing their job—well, they're invisible. You wouldn't even notice them. But the others, well, we hear about them all the time.
Neo: I've never heard of them.
Oracle: Sure, you have. Every time someone says they've seen a ghost or an angel. Every story you've heard about vampires, werewolves, aliens—that's the system absorbing rogue programs doing things they weren't supposed to.
Neo: Programs hacking programs. Why?
Oracle: They have their reasons. But usually, a program chooses exile over deletion.
Neo: Why would a program be deleted?
Oracle: Maybe it's broken. Maybe a better one was created to replace it. Happens all the time. When it does, a program can either hide here or return to the Source.
Neo: The mainframe?
Oracle: Yes. Where must you go? Where the path of the One ends. You've seen it in your dreams, haven't you? That door is made of light?
Neo: [nods]
Oracle: What happens when you go through it?
Neo: I see Trinity. Something goes wrong. She falls. And then I wake up.
Oracle: Do you see her die?
Neo: No.
Oracle: Now you can see, Neo. You're seeing the world without time.
Neo: Then why can't I see what happens to her?
Oracle: We can never see past the choices we don't understand.
Neo: Are you saying I have to choose whether Trinity lives or dies?
Oracle: No. You've already made that choice. Now you have to understand it.
Neo: No, I can't do that. I won't.
Oracle: You have to.
Neo: Why?
Oracle: Because you are the One.
Neo: And if I can't? If I fail?
Oracle: Then Zion will fall. We're out of time. Listen to me, Neo. You can save Zion if you reach the Source—but to do that, you'll need the Keymaker.
Neo: The Keymaker?
Oracle: Yes. He vanished a while ago. We didn't know what happened to him until now. He's being held prisoner by a very dangerous program. One of the oldest of us. He's called the Merovingian, and he won't let him go willingly.
Neo: What does he want?
Oracle: What do all men with power want? More power.
Oracle: If you're there—at the right moment—you'll have a chance.
Seraph: We have to go.
Oracle: Seems like every time we meet, it's just more bad news. I'm sorry, truly. But for what it's worth, you've convinced me. Good luck, kid.
– Cut. – Andy called out with a deep sigh.
– Prep everything for the action sequence. –
As Billy walked over to his stunt double, he was fully aware of the challenge and the hard-earned respect the job demanded, at least one he had to fulfill. The difficulty was inevitable. The shoots were packed with thousands of action scenes where he had to show up and deliver.
– You were fantastic. – Billy said to the young man who looked exactly like him. A small moment of acknowledgment that always felt timely.
...