Chapter X
Trinity said a silent prayer to a God in which she did not even believe, or to something and anything that could have any impact on this life. Then she felt the cold metal in the back of her head the instant before her body slipped away and her mind become conscious of her new surroundings. Looking around her, she coolly regarded the abandoned building before heading off in the direction of the nearest parking lot. There, she found a sleek, dark motorcycle awaiting her arrival. Not too shabby she thought as she swung her leg smoothly over the seat and gunned the engine.
The markedly high-tech sounding name Metacortex was presented in large, prominent lettering on every side of the towering glass structure. On a one way street that sided up to the immense office building she resigned herself to restless waiting. She watched as a multitude of high-class businessmen and women swam in and out through the revolving doors. Soon her eyes became unfocused. A formidable truck screeched to a halt just past where Trinity was stationed, jarring her out of her daze. Annoyance at its large presence that partially blocked her view quickly turned to relief when she saw the company logo that decorated the side of the vehicle: FedEx. Even though he was dressed in a postal uniform, she could still easily recognize Mouse as he headed toward the front doors of the building, package in hand. Now things would really get moving.
That relief was not long-lived, though. A tangle of both fear and anger fought for recognition inside of her as soon as she saw the three rigid, suit-coated men stride into the building, eerily mirroring each other's every action and footfall. She swallowed her augmenting uneasiness as much for her own sake as for the man whom they were there to pursue.
Time passed more slowly than she'd ever known it could. She was growing restless in her constant alertness to her surroundings while she continued to daydream. It was not exactly a daydream because she had no conscious part of the thoughts that flowed endlessly before her inner eye. Instead, every time she attempted to avert her attention to something else, his image was always there to blot out whatever her mind had thought was more pertinent. She certainly did not object to such a constant presence, but her trepidation over the many complications associated with freeing him was now overriding her affinity.
At long last, a single agent exited the building and headed towards a dark and looming sedan. At this signal, she sped around the block just in time to pull up in front of the dark sedan. Poised for quick action, she stared intently through her rear-view mirror as the remaining agents and a few security guards escorted a struggling man out of the building. He was forcefully shoved into the back seat of the car as he continued to attest to his innocence. Her heart went out to him, as well as to Morpheus whose task had just been increased tenfold because of the man's decision. She was not left in pity for long because just as the last agent was about to duck into the car, his nose wrinkled ever so slightly as he picked up something through his earpiece. His stony glare was then directed straight at Trinity.
"Shit." The fear was ingrained in her and she sped away without a second glance.
As soon as she opened her eyes in the real world, she saw the disappointment on her superior's face. "If only we could do away with fear, our job would not be so hard."
"Fear is not so easy to erase. Even in those of us who know the truth." Morpheus was one of the few people in her life she was ever able to be totally honest with. "If I were him, I don't know if I could've gone out on that scaffold either." He nodded in understanding and without another word they both headed to the scanning room. Neither of them had to express aloud the hope that they all held onto for this prospect.
They had no idea what the agents knew or what they would do to him. All they could do was wait; something they all despised.
In order to diffuse the situation, Mouse relied on humor as a relaxing mechanism. "What I don't understand is why the agents insist on wearing their sunglasses indoors. I mean, what's the purpose anyway? Can they see better with them on or something?" A nervous titter spread through the room, but the general feeling remained sullen. With a softer tone he commented, "Man, I would not want to be sitting in that chair right now…"