Russell pulled his foot out from beneath the deck and advised him kindly, "Traitor, watch your language. I'm not trying to scare you, but pretty much everyone who's ever spoken loudly to me is dead."
"What a joke. The gun is in my hand. I'm the captain now, and what I say goes on this ship."
"An electric stun gun?"
Russell's expression turned strange as he said with some hesitation, "That really is impressive."
"Good that you know it!"
Cypher sneered. "I remember back in the Matrix, you exposed my deal with the Agents in front of everyone. Now karma's come around. Outside the Matrix, you're just an ordinary man. Now I get to decide whether you live or die."
"Don't do this, traitor. There's still time. Put the gun down!"
"I told you, don't call me traitor."
Cypher flew into a rage and pulled the trigger at Russell under Morpheus and the others' despairing gazes.
Crackle!
A blue beam struck Russell directly in the face, wrapping his head in brilliant blue electrical arcs.
The next second, smoke rose from him. Cypher's smile froze on his face, and he stood there slack-jawed and speechless.
Russell raised a hand to scratch his chin, frowning. "Honestly, that was the worst electricity I've ever tasted. Maybe it's just my imagination, but it had a motor-oil flavor."
"..." xN
On the main deck, everyone stood rooted to the spot like wooden posts, their mouths hanging open in O-shapes as they stared wide-eyed at the completely unharmed Russell.
"Heh—ptui!"
Russell spat a mouthful of electrical plasma at his feet. The intense heat burned through the deck, sending up a wisp of smoke.
"No... no, impossible! You monster!"
Cypher's face turned red as he convinced himself he was still dreaming. On the verge of collapse, he