Chapter 1: - It can't be...
Trinity's eyes shot open. This couldn't be happening could it? She rolled over to face Neo who was sleeping soundly next to her, and placed a hand gently on his face. "I'm sorry Neo..." she whispered before kissing him lightly on his forehead and slipping out bed. She shivered slightly; the ship was always so cold. She blindly wandered over to the chair where her clothes were just thrown haphazardly in a fit of passion from the previous night. She dressed quickly and quietly and slipped out of the quarters without a sound and headed off to her old room to be alone. She sat on her bed with her back against the wall, and held her head in her hands. She had been dreaming of her boyfriend again. The boyfriend she had left in The Matrix, the boyfriend Neo knew nothing about. She had told herself it wasn't real and it was just a program, but she couldn't forget the way she had left. After a call on her cell phone she had left the engagement ring by the side of the laptop with a piece of paper which read simply 'See you tonight' but that was eight years ago, and now she had a new boyfriend. A boyfriend that she loved and cared about. A boyfriend that loved her just as much. These dreams made her feel incredibly guilty, especially after making love to Neo the previous night. As she let her thoughts wander she was unaware that Neo was watching her intently.
"Wanna talk?" he asked kindly, taking a seat on the bed next to her.
Trinity jumped slightly, "How long have you been watching me?" she asked, letting Neo lay down with his head in her lap.
He looked up and brushed her cheek tenderly with his hand, "Long enough to know that something is troubling you."
Trinity sighed sadly and lovingly ran her fingers through his thick black hair, "Why is it you can always tell when something is wrong?"
Neo smiled slightly, "I just know..." He pulled her down slightly and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, "Well? Are you going to tell me or do I have to guess?"
Trinity shook her head, "It's not important..." Looking down at Neo, she stared into his deep brown eyes, knowing how unfair it was to keep this from him. He looked up at her and beckoned for her to lie down next to him, and Trinity did so. As she lay beside him with her head on his chest she sighed sadly; he had to know.
"Trin... tell me... please! It can't be that bad can it?" He looked at her lying beside him, "Have I done something wrong? Have I hurt you in any way?" he whispered softly, hugging her as close as he could to his own body.
Trinity shook her head and was just about to speak when a knock came at the door. Neo reluctantly left her side and answered it.
Turning to Trinity he sighed, "Morpheus says we have made contact with the Logos. They have sent all the information on the potential they have been tracking. We are to meet in five minutes to go through all the information before we even make an attempt to free them. Can you tell me what you wanted to later?"
Trinity nodded, "It can wait," she said quietly.
**********
Morpheus sat in the mess hall at a long metal table with various bits and pieces of documentation scattered everywhere. There were blueprints, maps and other things that were needed to find and track down the potential. He looked up to see Neo and Trinity join him. Morpheus was sat at the head of the table and Trinity and Neo sat opposite each other. The room was brightly lit in contrast to Trinity and Neo's room.
"I trust you had a good rest," Morpheus started. "Today or tomorrow we are to free the potential the Logos has been tracking for months. Trinity, this will be down to you as you have slightly more experience than Neo. But you Neo, are to back her up lest she gets into trouble with Agents and also as this potential is very elusive and has slipped through our grasp before. We have traced the potential to within three blocks of where they live. Once in, we will only have a little time until the Agents are on to you and the potential, so you must work quickly. Are we clear?"
Trinity nodded, "Sure. I will need program HCK2507 to hack into their computer, it's the most effective and by the sounds of this potential they are gonna have a lot of security features."
"Of course Trinity," Morpheus replied. "Neo," he said turning to face him, "It will be you job to hold of security while Trinity contacts the potential through their computer. Trinity, you will direct the potential to the abandoned warehouse in north China Town opposite the Pagoda Restaurant. From there you will drive the potential to an abandoned office block four blocks away from the restaurant where I will meet you. Link will give you directions."
"Right," she replied, "So what are the stats on the potential? Are they likely to accept what we are going to tell them?"
"The potential originally started searching for the answer to 'What is the Matrix' about seven and a half years ago. He has also hacked into the IRS like you have Trinity, and he has been searching non-stop for the answer."
Neo looked up from the notes he was reading, "So how come we haven't freed him before now?"
"That is a good question. The reason is, up until recently, he was not close to the answer. It is only now that the Logos feel he is ready and we are too free them." Morpheus answered before continuing. "Now I am sure you would like to know the name of the potential. At the moment he is going by the alias black king…but we know he usually goes by the name of Charge."
Trinity's eyes widened with shock and she went noticeably paler. The potential was her boyfriend! "Excuse me," she said getting up from the table.
Morpheus looked concerned. He hadn't seen Trinity like this since he first freed her from The Matrix. "Is everything alright Trinity?"
"I know him…" she answered, her voice barely a whisper.
Morpheus stood up and adjourned the meeting. "This must be a shock for you Trinity. Seeing a friend after so long. If you wish then you may take some time to gather your thoughts. Neo would you escort her to your quarters? I think she may need some company,"
"Thank you Morpheus," he answered and wrapped an arm around Trinity tenderly, "Trinity? What is it? Are you okay?"
She shook her head, "No…no I'm not…I…" but she couldn't finish. She was in shock and partly feared the reaction from Charge when he found out that she was with another man. She knew he could have a short fuse if something upset him, and that he could be very overprotective of her at times. She looked into Neo's eyes and knew what she had to do. She took his hand in hers and took a deep breath, "Neo…we need to talk."