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In hospital room 303, there lives a sad woman who has lost everything. She lost her memory and her health; she lost her hair and the few friends and family she still had. She spends her days in a comfortable room where the sun enters in the early morning. She has everything she needs within those walls and at the same time, nothing at all. She has forgotten what living means, and she spends every day in the same way. Her existence feels like a treadmill: every day the same nurses, the same routine, the same blue pills. She is a prisoner of her own life. She doesn’t even have enough energy to try to end it. She feels ugly and useless, uncertain of her purpose and wondering where she got so lost, as she passes her long fingers over her short hair.
Little does she know that not far from her, there is a man who dreams about her every night even if he doesn’t know who she is.
Neither does she know that there was a little girl who grew up thinking about her, listening to her stories and wanting to be brave in her image. That little girl is now a strong woman, ready to risk everything to give her back everything that she’s lost. The woman in room 303 is not aware that she has even lost her true name, but she’s about to get it back.
---
Only a few floors and corridors away, Thomas’s cell phone pings. It’s an email from his boss reminding him that he is not Dr. House; hence, he’s not allowed to work without shaving and without wearing a robe. Tom sighs. It’s not like they are going to fire him. He knows because he has tried. He has done the most astonishing things and the most he gets is another email, it’s like he is trapped in this hospital.
He almost never leaves. He has an apartment a few blocks away, but most nights he sees no point in going home to sleep alone. At least he’s useful at the hospital. He doesn’t know how he does it, but he’s a great doctor. Almost a living encyclopedia. It’s like someone has programmed every single affection and disease in his brain. As soon as he asks a patient about their symptoms, he knows how to treat them. He’s never wrong, and his services are in high demand. He’s been meaning to try something else–he likes computers and has the feeling he might be good at them–but he never has the time. He would barely eat, if it weren’t for the chicken sandwiches that the nurses bring him from time to time. He used to like noodles, or so he thinks, he hasn’t eaten out in so long.
People think he’s so selfless and so committed. And yes, he loves working with children, but he wouldn’t get so much praise if they knew that his real reasons are creepier. There’s a patient… Yes, such a cliché. She’s not even his patient–he’s in pediatrics and she’s his age–so he has only seen her from afar, and not once has she turned to look back at him. She seems so sad, so desperate, so alone. He would like to comfort her so badly, but doesn’t know how to approach her without being terribly unprofessional. She already has too much to deal with; he won’t be another inconvenience in her life. So he goes back to his kids, and she goes back to being lonely. It’s pathetic, but when he’s sleeping on the couch of the doctor’s lounge and she’s asleep in her own room, he finds comfort in the idea that they are alone in this hospital… together.
---
I've heard that it all started with a glitch in the Matrix. Seq was looking for something else entirely when something inside the Matrix jumped and there was an imperceptible change. At first, he thought it was nothing–maybe he was just tired or his eyes were playing games on him–but the second time it happened at the same place, he knew something was going on there. So he told Bugs, our captain, and she started watching it too. They watched every day, obsessively. The rest of us had no idea what was going on or what they were looking for. I didn't care or mind at all. Little did I know.
The Mnemosyne is a nice ship and Bugs is a decent captain. I like her. Like her, like her, I mean. But I don't think she knows that. Yet. I've been here for only a few weeks, and I'm happier than I've ever been on any other ship. Before joining the Mnemosyne, I was always complaining about the dull missions and getting into trouble. I get it, General Niobe was a big deal back in her day, but right now I don't know why she even bothers to have a crew. If it weren't for rebels like Bugs, no one would be doing anything anymore.
I knew I was lucky when I was told I was being transferred here, but I didn't imagine I was about to get even luckier the morning Bugs opened the door of my room yelling, “Wake up, everybody! I want you all at the core in 5 minutes!”
So to the core we went. I didn't even bother dressing up, just wrapped a blanket around myself. It was too early and my shift didn't start for another 6 hours so I was going back to sleep the moment whatever this was, was finished. The others made a bigger effort and were presentable. Bugs was so excited she didn't even notice (or mention) my burrito style.
I was sleepy so I don't remember much about what Bugs said at first, beyond her excitement about having found them. Found who, someone asked. THEM! Neo and Trinity. And then, I dropped the blanket which fell to the floor, followed by my knees and then the rest of me. Trinity, THE Trinity? IRS database Trinity? Tears came to my eyes. How was it possible? Bugs explained that somehow, their DSIs are messed up and that's why no one had found them before. Finding them was a fluke, she said. Seq was looking for potentials in the pediatrics ward of the city hospital when he first saw the glitch.
That’s how the most incredible day of my life begins. Everything moves quickly as plans are made. Bugs argues passionately with Berg and Seq, while Ellster gathers supplies. I feel numb; shocked into autopilot, I do what I'm told.
Everyone around me looks so composed, when for me this is life-changing news. I guess this is what happens when you grow up without a mother. We’ve all heard of them, of course–about the war that lasted for 100 years and the truce that came when General Niobe lent her beloved ship, the Logos, to Neo and Trinity. We know that the ship was eventually recovered but neither Neo nor Trinity’s bodies were ever found. We’ve heard the rumors–that they made a deal with the Synthients and were plugged back into the Matrix–but I refuse to believe that. I’ve studied her. A lot. Maybe saying that I was obsessed with her would be more accurate. I knew about her back when I was still in the Matrix. After so many years, she was still legendary in the dark web. I was a lonely teenager who found solace in reading stories of epic hacks and for me, Trinity was the best. Reading about her got me to finding about Morpheus, General Niobe and Ghost. I know he is the one who picked me up with his ship, but Trinity is who got me out. I would have never taken the red pill if I wasn’t trying to be brave like her.
I learned more about her once I was out. Ghost didn’t like talking about her, but he wasn’t so young and he liked me, so once in a while I got him to open up. He always believed, as I do, that there’s no way in hell that she had willingly gone back into the Matrix. The difference is that he thought she had died and I couldn’t believe that either. I wish he were still alive.
Anyway, the argument between Bugs and Berg is about whether we can get both Neo and Trinity out at the same time. Berg says the risk is too great, and after a while, Bugs agrees. The plan evolves: first Trinity, because she's at greater danger. She is not really ill–Seq has established the location of her pod and exhaustively checked on her body to make sure–but her mind doesn't know that and it believes what the Matrix tells her to believe. There's not much we can do except take her out as soon as possible.
"The hospital is big, but not that big. We should have time," says Bugs while checking the plans over the table.
"That's not the thing", Seq told her. "The thing is the sandwich."
We all look at him as if he has gone crazy.
"I don't know why, but Neo can’t swallow pills anymore."
"What do you mean? As far as we know, he could swallow just fine the last time." I could hear the annoyance in Bugs’s voice as she turned her head back to where Seq was standing.
My mind is still fuzzy from sleep-deprivation, so I don’t follow most of Seq's explanation, but it seems to be true. The bad news: Neo can't have the red pill. The good news: Seq can code the chicken sandwich he periodically gets from the nurses like a red pill. So we can get them both out if and only if Neo eats the sandwich that night.
I volunteered to do the first contact with Trinity, I would have died to do so, but it was decided Bugs would be the one. Everyone likes Bugs, especially me. I think she's starting to notice but that's not the point now.
The point is that Bugs will approach Trinity the way we planned. She enters the hospital as a volunteer from the "Make a Wish" foundation. The wish she’ll be granting is something Tiffany is not expecting at all. Seq took care of the programming. It wasn't easy; he had to dig up ancient Matrix code from the archive records that we keep in Io, and that's tricky, especially with General Niobe asking why we needed that information. But he finally got it and made the program which will appear in the Oculus headset that Bugs is now placing over Trinity's eyes. It's a very special program, based on Trinity's Ducati ride on the epic highway chase. Seq showed me the highway records while he was working on this–I had heard of that but never seen it before–and General Niobe did a decent job in the chase, too. I don’t understand why she didn’t want us to have access to those records. Maybe she didn't want us to find out she was a badass chick once.
As the VR program starts, we see how Trinity’s code starts to change. Her body starts moving in concert with the images she sees, as if riding a bike. When it ends, Bugs helps her take the Oculus off and Trinity is lost in her thoughts.
"Tiffany… are you ok?"
She takes a few seconds before answering.
"Excuse me…... What did you say?"
"I asked if you are okay… Trinity."
At the sound of her name, she fixes her gaze on Bugs.
"I am Trinity, right?"
She's not asking. She knows.
Bugs smiles. We have Trinity.
"You are, and you have to come with us"
"I can't. I'm too sick."
"No, you are not."
"I'm not?"
"I'm sorry. It's the Matrix. It's making you believe you are sick, but your body is perfectly fine. We checked."
Trinity gets lost in her thoughts again. Bugs doesn't press. She needs to give her time, we all know that. That's why I wasn't allowed to go. I would get too eager too soon. Finally, she nods.
"Ok… now what?"
"Now we leave."
"I need to know… where is Neo? What happened to him?"
"He is here, actually, in this same hospital. But we have to take you out first, before your Matrix body gives up, and then we'll pick him up."
"You sure about that?"
"Totally sure."
Trinity doesn't ask any more questions. The soldier in her understands what has to be done to move forward.
"I can barely move", she whispers, and my heart breaks.
"Don't worry, I'll help. The exit is not far. But before we go, you know what you have to do."
Bugs extends both of her arms and opens her hands. A blue pill, just like the ones Trinity takes every day, is waiting in one hand, a red one in the other. Trinity sighs and takes the red one. They have to move fast, then.
Bugs gets Trinity into a wheelchair and takes her out of the room. The fake foundation paperwork works like a Jedi mind trick, and she comes out of the hospital easily. Seq is waiting outside with the exit ready in a nearby abandoned store. Trinity’s breath sounds whispery, like ocean waves and Bugs worries, Trinity explains she is trying to calm herself with a technique called Ujjayi breath that she learned at the hospital. She's been here before, so she knows what to expect, and yet she has no idea of what's to come.
Since her body was previously located by Seq, it is fairly easy to take her out. She wakes up in a pod for the second time in her life, and we are there to get her. I just want to protect her and care for her so much.
Ellster and I take her to the medical bay and start tending to her.
---
Meanwhile, a cafeteria chicken sandwich gets cold in the corner of Thomas' desk. It doesn't look appealing and he walks right by it without taking a closer look.
In the core of the Mnemosyne, Seq and Bugs look at each other. It's going to be a long night.
---
After a couple of hours, Ellster tells me: "She's not gonna make it."
"What? Why?"
"Her body is too weak. Her mind still thinks she is sick."
I check her vitals. Ellster is right, her heart rate is going lower and lower, and her skin feels cold. She's unconscious. I cover her with another blanket and make a decision. I go back to the core and find Seq. Bugs is already back in the Matrix. I smile. This is going to be fun.
"Plug me in. Plug us in. We have to go back"
"What? Why? Are you crazy? After what it took to take her out?"
"Finding her was the hard part. Taking her out was easy. Look again. Nobody is searching for her."
Seq looks. I am right. Whoever put her there gives no importance to what must look like a dying woman.
Ellster comes behind me, pushing Trinity in a stretcher. She explains the plan, and Seq agrees: I’ll go first, and then he'll jack Trinity in. It's a long shot, but we don't have any other way. If reuniting with Neo can't stabilize her, then nothing can. Seq performs a miracle and hacks a bathroom mirror in the hospital for us to go in. He's not sure we'll be able to use it to get out, but right now all we can all do is hope.
Trinity wakes up as soon as we are back in the Matrix. I beam with happiness that she's still here. There is no wheelchair, and she is in no condition to walk, so I lift her up and carry her in my arms, as if she were a child. She feels so frail, light as a feather. She doesn't look like the fearless Trinity we all know, but she's still in there–I know it. Her arms are around my neck, and I can feel her so close, it drives me crazy. I feel so much love for her but also respect. As I carry her, I feel like she's my mother and my daughter at the same time. I'm here to love her and care for her, but also to protect her and do whatever it takes to make her right again. She lifts her head and the transparency of her eyes astonishes me. They are so blue, like the bottom of a clear pond. Her profile is perfect and her skin is pale, cold porcelain. I feel so lucky to have her here, so lucky that she exists.
Seq tells me where to go. Bugs and Berg are approaching Neo at the child's ward, where Neo as Thomas Anderson is playing video games with children who can't sleep. Seq has contacted Bugs and explained the situation, so they are expecting us.
Things aren't going well for Bugs and Berg. They introduced themselves to Neo as part of a fake foundation and wanted to show him something that the kids may enjoy. But he refuses to wear the Oculus, letting the children play instead. Without the program, they don't think they can get sense into Neo's head, but my captain won't give up easily. Desperate times require desperate measures, so she takes another approach.
He keeps playing with the kids and is throwing one of them into the air when she yells at him: "Hey, NEO!"
He turns around with a look in his eyes. He knows. "What did you call me?" he asks.
"You are Neo, are you not? I don't have time. They are watching you. Trinity is here. If you know who she is and want to get to her, you have to eat that sandwich." With a jerk of her head, she points to the cold chicken sandwich the nurse dropped at his desk hours ago.
"Excuse me?"
"Yes, that sandwich."
Neo listens, his mouth agape. He doesn't move, and the child he’s carrying seems just as shocked, probably because the fun stopped so suddenly.
That's when I appear, Trinity still in my arms. He looks at me and then at her and his eyes go watery.
"Wanna exchange burdens?" I jokingly ask.
He drops the kid with enough care not to hurt him and comes to me without taking his eyes off her. I've read the stories about them, but being so close to a love this strong, it's something else. It's like looking at the bright sun for too long, it just blinds you. It pains me to let go of her, but this is what she needs. The kids are still looking, curious, so I say the first thing that comes to mind:
"Doctor, this patient needs help going to the bathroom. Can you get her there?"
"Yes", he says, loud enough so people around can hear. He takes her carefully in his arms, and I can tell from his gentleness how precious she is to him. Her eyes are closed but she opens them as she feels herself near to him. Her lips form a small smile.
"Hey, you", she says softly, and rests her head on his chest. I’m not touching her anymore, but the energy is so strong that I can sense her cold body starting to warm up as soon as she is with him.
"I'll take you wherever you need," he whispers.
As I guide them to the bathroom, my crew appears behind me. Bugs hands me the plate in her hands. "Don't forget the sandwich," she says. "Take them out, we'll cover you."
They are in their own small little world, and I feel like an intruder going into the bathroom behind them. He hasn't stopped looking at her and she looks so comfy and cozy in her arms. Her eyes are still closed, but she's smiling and her cheeks have more color.
"I'm sorry Neo... we really need you to eat this. Let's say it's a version of the red pill, remember?" I know I’m interrupting, but this is urgent.
Seq is suddenly by my side telling me to hurry because he’s ready to take Neo out. I get hold of Trinity while Neo eats the cold, tasteless sandwich in a couple of huge bites. Once that he’s done, he takes Trinity again and together, they go through the mirror. Seq disappears so he can get Neo's body out of the previously located pod and I stay back for just a second, trying not to cry, before going after them.
---
24 hours later, they are together in the medical bay, side by side, holding hands. Both of their vitals have been stable long enough for Ellster to confirm that they are going to be fine. I can't wait for them to wake up and for us to get to Io. I hope I get to talk to Trinity, tell her how she got me out, what she means to me. I bet General Niobe will be really pleased that we have found them. She will promote Bugs, and maybe I’ll finally ask her out.