Yawning, Trinity stumbled down the hall almost loosing her balance several times. She couldn't remember being this tired in the matrix before now. She actually felt ill for the first time in almost ten years.
Her computer literate mind ran through reasons, glitches in the matrix and so forth trying to find a logical explanation.
But she wasn't in the matrix. Morpheus had all but forced her to get some rest in the construct but it just wasn't working.
They had all thought that going to Zion might have helped her get over loosing switch and Apoc; they had become her best friends aboard the Nebucadnezzer long before Neo had been unplugged. Relief didn't happen and for reasons that she wouldn't discuss it just made her feel worse.
So, the next best thing to the matrix was a nice comfortable house somewhere in the north of Canada. It was cold and desolate; it reminded her of the Neb but yet the isolation made her feel open and warm.
She didn't have to prove herself to anyone and that was exactly the way she liked it.
Morpheus had granted her two days and one night in the construct for relaxing and today was the last time she would 'see' the sun and stars again, certainly not in this fearless setting.
"Trinity get a grip." She whispered to herself moving towards the kitchen, which was still littered with various bowls and plates that she had used to eat with the night before.
The distinct feeling that Neo was watching her made her smile, he didn't seem to have stopped watching ever since that fateful day.
"Neo, why don't you just come here." She said quietly. "Help me clean up."
"I thought you would never ask."
Trinity turned around, a smile tugging at her lips. He stood in a loose v-neck sweater and tight black jeans waiting to get her in his arms. Gently she led him towards the couch and pulled him down next to her. This was what she had missed for these two days, why she couldn't relax. It was like Ying without yang almost, but it never used to be like that. At one time she had been the insular, independent part of the crew now it seemed she couldn't exist comfortably without him.
"Anything going on up there?" She asked pulling his arm around her, warm. Neo ignored the question, kissing her lightly on the neck. There was something he was holding back.
"Neo, tell me." She said sternly pushing his arm away and turning to face him, blue eyes sparkling. Neo was lost for a second, half attempting to bypass the command.
"Nothing…" He said quietly trying to pull her back to him but she wouldn't let him.
"Neo tell me, I need to know." She said softly standing up in front of him. "It's not as if Morpheus wouldn't want me to know."
Neo frowned, nerves swelling in his stomach at the thought of telling her.
"It's just ah, a virus has been introduced into the system and it's spread into our main computer network. A couple of other ships have been affected and Zion is trying to cure it..."
He could tell it hadn't sunk in, Trinity stood before him staring blankly but she knew what it meant.
"What about you?" She asked knowing full well what the answer would be.
"I'm not linked up to the core." He said quietly, his eyes shining with sympathy.
Trinity sat next to him, trying to take in his scent and his warmth that wouldn't stay with her. He couldn't stay in the matrix like this for long before his energy level sank down to nothing.
"You should go back, now, just download something for me to do." It was said just as much for herself as it was for him. If he stayed any longer it would be harder to let go.
Neo hesitated before he objected; it was something Trin hated, when he objected that was. He tried to remember if he ever felt like this about a woman before, there was one…Neo shook his head to get rid of the memory. For the first time he was surprisingly grateful of the matrix, loosing something that technically wasn't a memory hurt less.
"Sure." He whispered clutching at her hand. "I've got just the thing…"
In a shimmer of electricity Neo vanished leaving Trinity alone.
The house in which she had felt secure suddenly closed in on her as the darkness closed in to take her captive. She pulled her legs up to her chest and hugged her knees wondering what Neo would download for her.
She knew what she wanted; it was something she couldn't have. But still her lips moved into a smile as her mind played over her conquest of Neo.
Feeling every inch of his muscular body under her made the darkness seem inviting, something of a sin. Something that…what was that noise?
* * *
Partly angry that something had interrupted her delicious thoughts and partly nervous that something had invaded her sanctuary Trinity crept towards the sound as graceful as a cat hunting its prey.
As she moved up the stairs the noise got louder, it sounded strangely enough like a burglar trying to get into the house via the bedroom window.
"No." She whispered pausing on the stairs with her back against the wall. If Neo had picked this as her entertainment he wouldn't be able to sit down when she got out of this place.
Her childhood had not been the best of times but one 'memory' she didn't want to experience again was happening right now. Tell to Neo after the incident
After an attempt to get through the window the glass smashed and the sound of a body pulling itself through the broken pane echoed through the house.
Trinity waited patiently for her chance to attack staring at her reflection in the mirror that hung above the stairs.
It frightened her to be faced with herself, a Trinity with no layers and no tight black leather to protect her.
Her reflection shimmered in the darkness as a shadow emerged from the room beside her.
In a fluid motion Trinity span around to confront the intruder, but nothing was there.
She turned again to the mirror facing a stunning reflection in the glass that was not her own.
"Morpheus!" She whispered confused and suddenly alone. The reflection didn't move so Trinity stepped forward gingerly stretching out her hand to touch the glass.
It felt cold against her fingers but nothing gave her insight into the mysterious figure of Morpheus glowing in the frame.
Suddenly she felt the cold touch of a knife against her throat, almost slicing into her skin as she breathed. The mirror betrayed no reflection of the intruder, which morbidly fascinated her as much as scared her.
She could feel the grip of a male hand on her shoulder but dare she attempt to turn?
Only an agent could get into the construct and this would not be Neo's idea of entertainment, at least that's what she hoped.
"That's right Trinity don't turn."
She knew that voice; it was someone from her matrix life. Her mind went numb at the recognition making her want to run from this terror. The knife stung as it began to bite into her flesh again, she stood deadly still.
He pushed the knife a little more until she could feel the blood trickling down her neck, and his breath on her neck made her skin crawl.
Maybe if she prayed hard enough Tank would notice something and…do what? The virus was probably meant for her to be trapped and besides, what would praying to a machine do for her?
"I can hear your thoughts babe." He said quietly caressing her neck. Trinity jerked away from his touch trying to forget yet another memory.
"So what am I thinking now Michael?" She asked coldly trying to pull from his arms, but it seemed that he had limitless strength and it seemed that he was no longer a human being.
"No no, you are right babe, it's Agent Wilson now." He made a sound that was something between a laugh and a snort and his arms around her tightened.
Trinity watched the mirror shimmer again before she was pushed hard into the glass. She shut her eyes waiting for the hard tumble down the marble steps but it never came.
Instead she was welcomed by hard wet concrete soaked from the heavy rain of…New York City.
Trinity blinked wiping the blood away from her eye, how had she ended up in the matrix, was she in the matrix?
"Don't move bitch." Wilson barked interrupting her thoughts. He appeared behind her with a magnum pointed at her head. Trinity stayed absolutely still, she knew what Morpheus would do in this situation and if Wilson was what he said he was then she truly couldn't escape unharmed.
They had picked a dark and desolate warehouse, which seemed quite fitting, to bring her to. Maybe they had intended to frighten her but the truth was she was more frustrated with Michael who had been her ex-boyfriend in the matrix. She supposed his new girlfriend was no longer around; the blond tart that he had left her for had probably had enough of his mood swings and violent humour.
Suddenly Wilson spun her around and backed her into a wall so quickly that she could hardly breath. He stared at her, a mad glaze set in his eyes. Trinity remember that all too well and it was usually followed by 'love' as he used to call it when he felt guilty afterwards.
Carefully she watched his face for any sign that his guards had dropped and there it was.
Her knee connected with his balls quicker than she had expected leaving him bent over as she ran towards the exit to the road. She wished more than ever that she had her mobile on her now, even to steal one as Neo had done but where would she find one here?
The warehouse turned out to be on the edge of a limestone quarry that dropped at least 60 meters down.
"Come on Trinity you know what to do." She told herself, as Morpheus would, focus.
There was a road which lead left hopefully away from the quarry so if she could get down that way and towards the city she might have a chance of finding a mobile and getting Tank to link her to another program, that was if they knew she was missing from the construct.
She quickly ran pulling all of her strength into her legs. Her speed could not be matched by any human and Michael would have been left behind if he were indeed human yet without straining a muscle he was right beside her grinning profoundly.
Trinity made a sharp turn to the left running faster into the darkness until her legs throbbed with every step she took. Still he was there.
Suddenly the ground disappeared beneath her feet and Trinity panicked throwing her arms out in an attempt to grab the ledge of the quarry top. Her fingers latched into the side desperately fighting the slide of the dry soil. She couldn't struggle as 'Agent Wilson' tightly wrapped his fingers around her wrist pulling her up into the waiting arms of Agent Smith.
"Miss Evans." He said staring at her through tinted shades. Trinity snarled finally trying to get her arm out of his grasp. His grasp tightened so much that her wrist threatened to break under the pressure. The anger built up inside her at being captive that she could no longer hold it inside. Using the Agent's grip to stabilise her, Trinity launched into the air and kicked him hard in the face stunning him enough so that he let her go. Trinity quickly back flipped until she was at least four meters away from him.
Then she ran.