Matt waited impatiently for 3:15 to come. It was only 3:05 and he was already drenched in sweat. How could he tell the three of them about his dream? That they were facing a harsher and more dangerous evil in Cyberspace?
He rushed to the sink splashing ice water on his head. He lifted his head and stared at himself in the mirror. He looked terrible. His eyes were dark and his skin was clammy. He was probably coming down with a fever. He ran a hand through his wet hair and dried it off with a towel.
Matt changed into a black tank and grey sweats on time before he heard the doorbell. He flew down the stairs and looked through the peephole. Slyder, Jackie, and Inez stood outside waiting. His hand slowly reached for the knob and finally gripped it. He breathed in deeply, trying to think with a cool head. He opened the door, inviting his friends in.
"Sorry about this guys. I started to feel pretty bad last night." Matt slumped on the couch as the gang made themselves home. Inez, on the other hand, could barely look at him. Slyder and Jackie exchanged glances.
"We were worried Matt. But at least you text us." Slyder said.
Matt grimaced, standing up, as he threw the blanket. But the second he did that, he felt extremely nauseous and stumbled into the table.
"Matt! You need to lie down!" Jackie ran beside him supporting him. "Slyder, let's take him upstairs. Inez, get some towels."
Inez clenched her hands as she went down the hall and fetched the towels. On the way up the stairs, Slyder and Jackie confessed that Inez told them what he did.
"Something happened between you two." Slyder figured. "I mean, Inez hasn't said a word since earlier today."
Matt admitted to slightly expressing his feelings; not considerate of Inez's own. But...why is it so awkward now? Slyder and Jackie rested him up on the bed as Matt drew the covers over him. He felt hot and cold all together.
"I thought you were better than that Matt. You should say it to her face." Jackie frowned. Matt scoffed.
Matt nearly glared at Jackie, and bit his tongue back for a harsh retort. He sighed, "In this case, openly confessing to Inez to her face...it harder than you think." Matt told her. Slyder stepped in.
"Sorry Jacks, I have to relate to Matt; I admit that it took a while after Cyberspace that I confessed to you." Slyder rubbed the back of his neck. Matt felt an icky feeling pool in his stomach. He was going to have to sit through the mushy moment with them.
"You mean...?" Jackie sat back, her brown eyes lit at him.
"A long while." Slyder's hand grazed over hers, finally sitting on top. Matt had the separate them and squash the romantic moment as he gagged.
"Very mature Matt." Jackie rolled her eyes. They sat in chairs, all facing to Matt. Soon, Inez came upstairs with the towels and placed them by the table. Hesitantly, she placed one on his forehead and took a seat.
Matt took a couple breaths; trying to think. "I had this,...sorta dream or vision. I was in Cyberspace again. But, it was just me and Inez."
Slyder and Jackie raised a brow, as well exchanging looks. Matt rolled his eyes, daring to peek at Inez's expression so far. He couldn't get through her. She was a solid brick force resisting him.
"Anyway. We were running...from Hacker. But as predicted,...he caught me. Inez disappeared and I was held captive in Hacker's ship...it was pitch black." Matt recalled. "And then I saw him."
"You saw Hacker?" Jackie asked.
"Yeah... and Hacker,...Hacker got a major upgrade. You could almost believe he was human." Matt gritted. Hacker looked too humane even in his dreams. He was still alike to a computer animated model; but he was so realistic he could almost surpass as a human if he kept upgrading for another 50 Cyberyears.
"That's...unbelievably disturbing...as I think about it." Slyder said. "What else did you see?"
"Do you guys remember when Hacker gave Motherboard a virus and he was able to program himself to be the...new Motherboard?" Matt shivered at the horror of Hacker taking over Mother B and claiming to be the absolute ruler of Cyberspace. At that crisis, the squad thought they were done for.
"Yeah." Inez spoke. Matt bit his lip as he pushed on and continued.
"Hacker did it again...except he created a new program. It was...scary." Matt frowned.
"Do you think it can function the same as Mother B?" Jackie asked. Matt hated how they asked so many questions; contributing to the migraines. He wish they could leave him alone...maybe just to talk to Inez.
"Maybe, I don't know." Matt shrugged. He shut his eyes trying to recuperate and focus.
"He's getting tired, we should leave him for a while." Inez suggested. He gazed at her, silently mouthing thank you as she nodded shyly. Slyder would want to protest, but Jacks' tapped him and signalled the cue to leave. Matt sighed.
"Actually, Inez" Jackie winked, "Slyder and I gotta head out for a minute. You know; food? I have a high metabolism." Jackie stared at Matt, somehow trying to telepath to him to be smart about this. "Be back soon! With takeout!"
Jacks shoved Slyder outside as the door closed behind them. Matt fever heighten as he slumped lower into the bed.
"Hot..." His brows furrowed. Inez almost couldn't stand that Matt was this ill and weak. He would be the most energetic of the group and mostly, the strongest. She left a bit as if the years of stress and then now the reoccurring headaches and dreams has somehow played a toll in his life. She felt guilty for contributing to this.
"Just relax..." She sat at the edge of the bed, nesting a small, cool rag on his forehead. He shivered, and his breathing eased. His eyes were closed; and almost seem like he was actually asleep.
"Matt?" She whispered.
"Yeah?..." He said hoarsely.
"We need to talk about...yesterday..." Inez tightly closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry." Matt said quickly before things could escalate. He didn't think his body could take anymore stress.
"What?"
"I was being cowardly...I mean,...I feel like it's something I've always felt for a long time, but I couldn't remember. And when I did; it was like a tidal wave of emotions and memories coming back. The more I remembered, the more overwhelmed I became. If I stayed at your place any longer...I,...would've done something I would never forgive myself for." He coughed and shivered as the cold towel had him freezing like a popsicle. "I just wanted to tell you I don't hate you."
Inez leaned down and took the towel away, bringing the sheets to his chin. Matt relaxed as he fell asleep. Inez couldn't find the words to say at the moment, but when she did; she was happy that he was fast asleep for him to hear.
"You're a great person Matt, you know that?" She said softly as she exited the room heading back downstairs to meet with Jackie and Slyder outside.
"What happened?" Jackie asked.
Inez walked ahead, breathing in the late summer air, "Nothing; he fell asleep. Let's go."