Author's Note: Sorry this was so long in coming. Pieces of Animatrix dialogue are not mine. Obviously.
Chapter 6: Kid
Very early the next morning, a message comes from Morpheus. It is time to get back to business. They are to meet with him as soon as possible in one of the small Zion cafes. Neo is still sound asleep when the message arrives, and does not wake with the sound of the door opening and closing. Trinity shakes him roughly, ignoring his protests. She is in no mood for sympathy this morning. Her entire body aches from the previous day's workout, but the pain is strangely comforting. It is a relief from the awful numbness that has come with grief.
They are silent on the way to the café, tension hanging heavy in the air. Most people are still asleep, and the day lights which ordinarily simulate sunlight have not yet come on. The claustrophobia is more intense now than ever. There is the feeling that they have been swallowed and are in the belly of some colossal monster.
The café is in the town center, the busiest area of the city. Almost everything it serves consists of some variation of the dark flatbread made from the subterranean wheat crop and something similar to the synthetic protein carried on the Resistance ships. But the food is not the reason people come here. They can eat crunchy bread anywhere in the city—this is a place where people come to be together. It is a semblance of tradition everyone clings to and no one can bear to give up.
Morpheus is sitting at a table near the back, hidden partially in shadows. Trinity suppresses a hint of a smile at this. He has always had a liking for dramatic lighting. Sometimes it seems as though he gravitates toward the darkest spot in the room without so much as a thought. As they draw nearer, a second person comes into view.
"Good morning," says Morpheus, standing up. "I trust you both slept well."
Trinity glares at him, trying to decide whether she detects a hint of humor in her usually stoic captain's voice.
"I apologize for waking you so early, but it is time we get back to business. I found us a new operator." He gestures to the other man. "Neo, this is Link."
She suppresses a pang at the words "new operator," and turns her concentration on Neo. He seems slightly uncomfortable with everything this morning, the trials of the past few weeks weighing heavy on him. Already he has lost the look of freshness that shines on the faces of new recruits and is beginning to look ragged around the edges like everyone else in the Resistance. His hand trembles a little as he reaches out to shake Link's.
"We've uh…we've met before."
Link nods and looks at the floor. His usual cheerfulness has been all but wiped out by Tank's death. It is not a surprise that Link has agreed to be their new operator; she knows that as Tank and Dozer's brother-in-law, he has promised to take over for either one of them should the need arise. Still, it seems strange. She has known their family for years now and has never really thought that this contingency plan could become a reality.
"So," says Morpheus, gesturing for them to sit down, "the Nebuchadnezzar has been fully repaired and cleared for takeoff this afternoon. I'd like to get back to broadcast depth as soon as possible."
Trinity sighs. In a way she is relieved to be getting back to work, but they are hardly prepared.
"You want us to leave today?" asks Neo incredulously.
Morpheus nods but does not say anything.
"What about the rest of the crew positions?" asks Trinity, taking a piece of bread from the basket in the center of the table and staring at it without eating.
"We can make do without them for the time being."
"Why is it suddenly so urgent?" asks Neo, taking a bite out of a piece of bread and choking on the dryness.
Trinity gives him a look out of the corner of her eye and resists the urge to cringe. Around the restaurant, people are beginning to come in, and she can tell by the way they steal furtive glances toward her table that they are beginning to recognize Neo.
"There are a lot of skeptics in Zion. And a lot of believers. The Council has not reached any conclusions as far as any official proclamation regarding the existence of the One. They do, however, feel that if further evidence were provided—"
"They need more?" interrupts Trinity, angry.
Morpheus nods again.
"That's hardly fair—"
"It's all right," Neo cuts her off. "You needed proof too."
The words sting, but she cannot deny the fact that he is right.
"So," says Morpheus, as though sensing the need for intervention. "If that is all, I will see you all this afternoon at the dock."
He pushes back his chair and stands up, the message clear. Conversation over.
It is already very late, but there is a sort of restless presence aboard the Nebuchadnezzar tonight, and no one is ready to retire. Morpheus has already retreated to his cabin, recommending to Neo that he do the same, but he does not heed the advice. Instead he makes his way back out to the core where Trinity and Link are sitting in front of the Matrix feed monitors, talking softly.
"So," says Neo, pulling up a chair.
Trinity turns toward him, giving him a disapproving look.
"You should go to bed, Neo. You know Morpheus wants you to jack in tomorrow if possible."
Neo sighs and sits down, ignoring her.
"There's no reason to at the moment. You're scanning for more potentials?"
Trinity nods, a trace of exasperation creeping across her sharp features.
"I just don't know why we have to be so damn rushed about this. It's so dangerous."
"He just wants to do everything we possibly can," counters Link.
"Even if that includes pulling people too early?"
Link smiles a little.
"You know he's always been like this. He's never going to change, Trin."
"And I'm never going to approve," she continues.
Link laughs.
"All right, then we're agreed."
Neo shifts uncomfortably in his chair, watching. They are obviously old friends, and he still feels left out of the dynamic.
"So," he says at last. "Are you watching anyone interesting?"
"Sort of," says Link, gesturing to the screen. Neo squints at it uncomfortably. He has recently become able to see things in code when inside the Matrix, but still finds it difficult seeing the images formed by the code on the screens.
"What is it?"
"A boy named Michael Popper," says Trinity, leaning toward him a little. "Teenager. He's been poking around a number of the rings we watch. Asking interesting questions."
"How old?"
"Fifteen. Goes by the very original alias 'Kid,'" supplies Link.
Neo laughs a little at that, mentally thanking-whatever once more that he had the sense to choose a good alias.
"Whoa," exclaims Trinity, interrupting his thoughts. "Look at this."
She reaches forward and taps something on the touch screen, bringing up a graphic of Michael Popper's computer screen.
Somebody tell me, the boy is typing. Why it feels more real when I dream than when I am awake. How can I know if my senses are lying?
Something seems to click in Neo's mind, a jolt of recognition and understanding. He has wondered these same things far too many times to remember.
"You think he's ready?" asks Link.
"As ready as anyone else we've been watching," answers Trinity.
"Time to go for it then?"
"You know Morpheus would say yes."
Link claps his hands together and grins.
"My favorite part. Time to do a number on his computer."
"Like you did on mine?" asks Neo, turning to Trinity.
She smiles a little, unable to conceal her pride.
"Yeah."
"How did you do that, anyway?"
"Like this," she says cryptically, leaning forward and typing a sequence of code far too fast for him to make it out. Instantly the display rearranges itself to show a message-send box—she is now logged into the ring. "Our signal is set up to disrupt the Matrix. Once we're hacked into the mainframe, it's easy enough to change parts of the simulation. Especially things like this that aren't all that closely regulated."
Neo nods, pretending to understand. He does not want to admit that yet another of her explanations has gone over his head.
"You want to talk to him?" she asks, gesturing to the keyboard.
"Me?"
"Sure. It's time you started learning some routine Resistance work." She stands up and gestures to her chair in front of the keyboard. Neo takes a deep breath, then sits down.
There is some fiction in your truth and some truth in your fiction, he types, the words coming with unexpected ease. To know the truth, you must risk everything.
He looks back up at Trinity and Link, searching for signs of approval in their faces.
"Good," says Link. "Now wait for the freakout."
Who are you? The words come back very slowly. Am I alone?
The words bring a fresh flood of emotions, but he swallows them down, knowing what he must say. His fingers feel rubbery as he types.
You are not alone.
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