2: Chatroom
Miriam spent most of the next two weeks trawling the Internet, searching for any information on the Matrix. Most of what she found was mathematical stuff – definitions of what a matrix was, and so on. There was virtually nothing relating to the Matrix.
She tried search engines, websites, chatrooms and forums, all without success. Occasionally she'd find something of potential interest on conspiracy-theory websites, but then it would turn out to be nothing but vague murmurings about some big system that was controlling everything; the usual conspiracy theory stuff. Nothing of use at all.
Correction – she had once found something about an Oracle, and someone or something called the One, which she'd dutifully bookmarked. But the next time she'd visited the site, a message had come up:
"The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings."
She'd tried again, and got more messages like "Page Not Found" or "Site Experiencing Overload, Please Try Again Later". It was as if something didn't want her to find the site again.
But that was crazy, wasn't it? It had to be just coincidence. Although Miriam couldn't help remembering what Agent Black had told her. Don't go looking for it, or something bad will happen. Curiosity killed the cat. It had certainly killed Marty.
Was that why Marty had died? Because he started looking for the Matrix? Had he found something that Agent Black and his mysterious colleagues didn't want people to see?
Whatever the Matrix was, it had to be important if Agent Black and the others (presumably there were others) were so desperate to cover it up. If people were dying to find it, then it had to be worth finding.
It was three-fifteen in the morning, and Miriam was still on her computer, barely awake but still wandering down the information superhighway, hitchhiking from website to website, in search of answers.
She was on a chatroom now, logged in under the name Guest, and had just brought the conversation round to the Matrix. She typed out, with some hesitation:
What do you know about the Matrix?
The responses she got back, from "Funky Chicken", "TommyGirl", "Wannabee" and "Rudolf Da Rappin Reindeer" were mostly dismissive.
The Matrix? LOL, Funky Chicken replied straight away.
That old chestnut again? Try the conspiracy theory websites, kid, answered TommyGirl.
I can't believe people still talk about that stupid Matrix rumor, Wannabee complained.
Snoredom. I'm leaving, said Rudolf Da Rappin Reindeer, his scorn evident even on a computer screen.
Me 2, TommyGirl agreed.
One by one, they started to leave the chatroom. Disappointed, but not about to give up after falling at the first hurdle, Miriam tried again. She typed out, more hesitantly:
Does the Matrix exist?
Don't be stupid. Of course it doesn't, Funky Chicken typed back, rather irritably. He and Wannabee were the only other people left in the chatroom, but a moment later, they were joined by a fresh crop of users.
Ur wasting ur time, Guest. No-1 believes in that junk, was the response of one of the newcomers, who went by the name BritneyBot2000.
Mr Honeybunny used to, CosmikChik pointed out.
Yeah – when I was 12! said Mr Honeybunny, with an emoticon that presumably served as some kind of digital scoff.
How old r u now? BritneyBot2000 asked.
13, Mr Honeybunny typed back.
Doofus, said Funky Chicken. Miriam could almost hear the guy rolling his eyes at the other end of his Internet connection.
Screw this. I'm outta here, Mr Honeybunny said, and promptly left the chatroom. Undeterred, Miriam tried to ask the others who had joined the conversation, hoping that one of the new arrivals might know something.
Okay, so what do you know about the rumors? she typed.
Not much. They say it's some kind of program controlling everything, said Wannabee.
LOL, as if that could ever happen, Funky Chicken replied.
Sheesh, it'll b the Men In Black next. Or Area 51, BritneyBot2000 typed.
I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Night everyone, were CosmikChik's parting words.
Night CC. See u 2morrow, said BritneyBot2000.
Goodnight CosmikChik, said Funky Chicken, just as CosmikChik logged out.
Sleepy-bye BritneyBot2000. I'm going 2 bed 2, BritneyBot2000 informed the other users.
Didn't know it was so late… me too, Funky Chicken agreed.
Me 3, Wannabee typed.
All three left the chatroom, one after the yawned, and looked at the status bar. It looked like everyone had gone. No, wait – there was one person left in the chatroom. Someone called TruthGoddess, who had just arrived.
Hello… anyone? TruthGoddess?
There was a long pause.
Hello Miriam, TruthGoddess answered at last.
Miriam's mouth dropped open in astonishment. Very slowly, she began to type.
Do I know you?
No, came the answer, but I know you. We've been watching you for some time.
Who are you? Why are you watching me?
Never mind. What do you know about the Matrix?
Don't ask me. I don't know. I'm just looking for it.
Why?
Miriam swallowed hard as the thought of Marty popped, unbidden, into her head. Marty, her friend, who was now a small heap of charred bones because he'd gone looking for the Matrix.
My friend was looking for it. He found something, but I don't know what.
He found the Matrix. Unfortunately, they got to him before us.
He's dead.
I know.
Did they kill him?
Yes. They started the fire and made sure he couldn't escape.
Why? What is the Matrix?
Another pause. Then the reply came.
Everything.
Where is it?
Everywhere.
How can I find it?
Just look around you.
All right, very profound. But I want to know what the Matrix is.
Skip school and go to the post office at 11.19 precisely, were TruthGoddess' instructions.
Why 11.19?
Go to window 2 and ask for Miriam Moorgate's undelivered letter.
Then what?
Nothing. TruthGoddess had logged out.
Hello?
No reply. Miriam scowled, and logged out of the chatroom. She'd found some answers, but not the most important one. What was the Matrix? Well, hopefully she'd find out in a few hours. She just hoped that this wasn't some kind of hoax.
