Chapter IX

He could not get her out of his mind. It was a physical impossibility. Coincidence, that's all. It probably wasn't even the same woman. It's that damned over-active imagination my dad always complained about and my mom condoned when I was a kid. And it all comes back to haunt me in my adult life. Jesus. Why the hell is this happening?

He knew that he was just trying to compensate for all of his previous theories being shot to hell, but that was the only thing he knew to do. If nothing else, at least I could get some answers. That's all I really want. Shit. He couldn't even lie to himself.

The only thing he could think to do was to just let them contact him when, or if, they chose to. Until then, he would just continue with his daily job and nightly searches. What if it was just some practical joke that had gone too far? What if she had not been speaking of the answers I'm looking for. The truth was, it hadn't mattered what she was saying because she had been so close that her breath had caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end and a chill to course down his spine. That was what mattered. He would not admit it, though.

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, when the stubborn argument commencing in his mind seemed as though it would never end, sleep lulled the opposition into the submission of slumber.

***

While Trinity slept uneasily on her stiff cot, Morpheus remained on night watch. His mind reeled in circle after circle, running through all the possibilities and complications of freeing this mind. He continued to double back over the same alternatives and precautions, seemingly endlessly. Images from previous prospects he'd rather forget would not cease to flash through his mind's eye. They had all met untimely demises. It did not seem fair that he had been so selfish.

He eventually cleared his thoughts enough to sort through the most laudable options. At long last he decided it would be best to contact him once more, then proceed with the process of unplugging him within a few days or so. That way, they would not scare him off. He would inform Trinity in the morning.

The morning did not come before he had to tell her, though. She did not even get to hear his original plans, because those ideas were immediately stashed as soon as Cypher stepped through the doorway. He had been on scanning duty and had come to report some unsettling news to Morpheus.

"We've got some trouble with the new kid. You'd better check it out pronto." Cypher reported to his captain, already on his way out the moment he walked in the room. He led the way to the room filled with a menagerie of screens, wires, computers, modems, and just about everything else electronic. It was the area used for scanning the Matrix to denote any odd occurrences, glitches, or other disruptions. In this case, it was some very pertinent activity commencing between the machines.

"What is it?" As an answer to Morpheus's inquiry, Cypher pointed to the greenish tinted code scrolling down one of the screens. "That doesn't look good." The captain's dark brow furrowed in consternation.

"Nuh-uh. They're gonna be all over that poor kid in no time and he's not gonna know what hit him." Cypher was never one to be much for sympathy.

"I know. I just wish I had more time to contact him. We'll have to work fast." Once again, Morpheus's mind was working full-tilt to come up with yet another plan of action.

"When aren't we rushing? Those damn machines and their concept of time." Cypher smirked but Morpheus just brushed off his cynical remark. Before exiting to wake Trinity, he proceeded to allocate a list of tasks that would need to be done in order to pull off this contact. This was not just any contact, it was crucial to freeing this mind. And this was not just any mind, this mind was crucial to their entire purpose.

Trinity stirred slightly in her sleep as she unconsciously edged the thin blanket closer to her face to ward off the frigid ship air. He hated to rouse her from the rest she so obviously needed, but it was for the best. He knew she would understand, but once more, he wished he had a choice.