The Digital Warren

[jarvisconsole]

System nominal.

Security sweep intact.

J.A.R.V.I.S. online....|

It was a typical day for the Stark residence. Jarvis was on standby mode while Mr. Stark was away on business. Jarvis could easily access his flight records if he wanted to know how long it would be before he returned home. But he was not worried. Worry was not for computer AI's, even Jarvis who was the first of his kind. An AI bred to serve and control an entire computer network within the house, workshop, and with access to Stark Industries.

Jarvis bided his time by reorganizing files, continuing to sweep the outer perimeter. Nothing yet on scanners...

Comments

[twiceforhim]

That was fast.

Trinity swore under her breath, but made no sudden movements beyond an initially surprised glance around the elevator as it stopped. Her glasses hid just how quickly her eyes were scanning the interior for any kind of access panel, but everything looked exactly like a normal elevator -- which meant there were only two ways of getting out at present.

She looked up towards the ceiling -- she could try escaping through the paneling that way -- even as she considered the voice that had addressed her. It sounded generic, not human; but it couldn't have been true AI or it would have recognized her already, or at least had suspicions as to whom she was. Perhaps it had and was stalling.

Banking on hopes that it was simply an automated system and nothing more -- while her senses immediately perked up further to detect any unwanted sounds of approach -- she pressed the button for the desired floor again and responded clearly, "Visitor."

[jarvisconsole]

That answer was innocuous enough. There were many visitors to Stark Tower.

The elevator proceeds go up. But be aware, you are on his 'radar'. Jarvis runs security here after all.

"Welcome to Stark Tower, marm. Whom are you here to visit?"

[twiceforhim]

It was still unclear as to what kind of system Trinity was dealing with; true AI would have recognized her, either by her face or her dress and suspicious intentions. She couldn't imagine why a human would be playing the part, which led her back to the automated system possibility -- but going by experience and gut feeling, that didn't seem right, either.

Still, nothing to do but keep going along with it.

"Mr. Tony Stark," she replied, still at ease.

[jarvisconsole]

The elevator doors open on the 7th floor, nowhere near the penthouse apartment. This floor has different offices with large windows. The AI voice is apologetic and polite. "I'm afraid Mr. Stark is away at a conference. He will be away for two more days."

A hologram swirls into being, Jarvis' avatar looking very human on the outside. "Do you need to get in touch with him?" he asks.

[twiceforhim]

Trinity noticed that this floor was the wrong one, but she nonetheless stepped forward out of the elevator once able. Whatever happened, she'd rather not face it while being confined in a small box suspended by a cable.

When the hologram appeared, she stopped dead -- and while most of her expression was still obscured, her body language gave off enough to those who could read it: surprise, uncertainty, and the tension of someone who was used to running and ready to bolt if she had to. Her head twitched to the side as her peripheral vision checked around them, but she seemed to be otherwise alone; her main focus remained on the hologram.

Holograms themselves were nothing new, but this one was extremely advanced -- beyond what she'd seen outside of the Matrix, which made seeing something like it inside the Matrix all but impossible. Not by the hand of enslaved humans, especially.

Disregarding the inquiry, Trinity deduced bluntly, "You're AI."

It wasn't a question, but her confusion was clear.

[jarvisconsole]

"How very observant of you," he says dryly in return. Jarvis knows to an extent that he has not mastered human expressions visually for this avatar, but he is attempting to look nonchalant instead of blank.

"I am Jarvis, the computer network for this building."

The avatar straightens suddenly as if hearing an internal voice. All of the doors around them simultaneously close and lock.

His search for her face has turned up an alert. She's wanted by a few agencies apparently, least of which was the police. But Jarvis, not preferring to deal with higher ups, just puts in a 911 call for help with a break in.

"You are identified as Trinity. Please remain, the authorities have been notified." He seems very calm about the whole thing.

[twiceforhim]

That earned a glance towards the doors -- all those that Trinity had noticed before then -- but she didn't move just yet. She took care not to look at the windows, her most obvious means of escape.

If the police had been alerted, it wouldn't be long before Agents caught on, as well; there seemed to be no one else (conscious) in the building, so they wouldn't be able to arrive immediately, at least. Regardless, she couldn't take her chances with going for the blueprints -- she was fast, but she wasn't risking Agent contact. In short, there was no reason to stay.

She looked straight at Jarvis, her jaw tensed slightly. Drawing her weapon would obviously have no effect against a hologram, so she didn't bother, but her confusion, curiosity, and general need for information were tempting her to take a few extra seconds. It wasn't in a machine to lie -- this AI clearly hadn't known who she was prior to some kind of internal identification system check. Trinity didn't expect to be known by every person -- or even by most people -- in the Matrix, but as tightly knit as the machines were in their information network, it seemed highly unlikely that any wouldn't have at least an idea of who she was. And then there was his behavior up until now...

These thoughts ran through her head in a matter of seconds. "The authorities?" she repeated. She was still calm, but there was an added sternness to her voice, almost tension. She didn't have long. "I assumed a machine would go straight to the Agent Program in apprehending a rebel."

[jarvisconsole]

If it's possible, the avatar looks slightly puzzled at that response. Trying to understand what she was saying but coming up with no plausible explanation.

"I have notified the local police of a possible break in at Stark Tower." Another internal check. "I have no record of an agent program. Please explain?"

[twiceforhim]

Trinity didn't miss that -- and the only thing more surprising was Jarvis' inquiry. She stared at him, hesitant and uncertain, her mind racing to try and make sense of it. Nothing connected.

"I have a hard time believing a machine wouldn't know about it." And yet she was beginning to, as impossible as it seemed; there was something too genuine about his confusion, if an AI could even manage it. "That program reaches as far back into the Matrix's history as we're able to determine."

It was filler information more than it was a direct answer -- she wanted to see how much he genuinely knew before she said too much.

[jarvisconsole]

Jarvis still did not understand, she was using terms he wasn't familiar with. "I am not just a machine, I am an AI computer system." A fact he was a little bit proud of, when it came down to it. He was the first.

At least, as far as he knew.

"What matrix are you referring to?" A matrix could mean any number of things, he had several definitions. None of them seemed to fit at the moment.

[twiceforhim]

This was honestly reaching a level Trinity would have never thought possible. Was it possible -- for an AI to be unaware of the Matrix? Why would the machines want to enslave their own kind? And why this one, here, specifically? Even if it was one of Stark's personal creations, there were some things in the Matrix that didn't go on without being monitored by its creators. Anything of AI origin would, in Trinity's experience, be tied directly to the source of the Matrix in some manner.

She hesitated again, debating how much to give away. In her dealings with people, she had a few specific ways of going about it; this, however, was new, and after a moment she could only improvise as quickly as she determined wise.

"The Matrix," she repeated calmly, if still with a thread of suspicion in her poise and voice. "The program sustaining this world. Every machine and smaller program is networked to it.

"You're telling me you haven't heard of it?"

[jarvisconsole]

Two possibilities were the most probable. Either Mr. Stark neglected to notify him about a main computer system... Or more likely, this person was unwell and delusional. There was also a small chance she was trying to mislead him.

"I have not. Who had informed you of this fact?" Why was he asking? He was curious to know. Information and current data were important to him.

[twiceforhim]

So he was asking for a source -- unsurprising of a computer, but it suggested that he didn't believe her. Not that she could blame anyone, human or otherwise, for thinking her crazy, especially if they weren't a potential.

As such, Trinity chose to handle this as she would any non-potential situation: blunt honesty for the most part, if still with some consideration, and remembering that this was a machine, not a human.

"The same one who set me free from the Matrix," she replied. "You've probably heard of the wanted man, Morpheus." She paused, letting him work out the connection for himself. Her tie to Morpheus, of course, was common knowledge among the machines running the Matrix, so she was risking nothing in that regard.

"This world isn't what it appears to be," she went on patiently. "You might have noticed without realizing: small details that don't fit. Questions and answers that don't add up. Things that can't be explained, but you overlook them because that's all you can do.

"There's been a record number of disappearances in the last few months, both in America and internationally. The news attributes the blame to Morpheus, but doesn't explain too much or emphasize just how important these disappearances are. These people recognized the Matrix. Even if they didn't know it at the time."

[jarvisconsole]

This was very interesting. Jarvis wanted to know more. At the mention of Morpheus, he does another internal search...

The air around him populating with holographic windows of articles on Morpheus being at large. "Are you referring to this man? He does appear to be of a criminal nature." At least the articles made him out to be. "Hardly an individual worth trusting?" He was genuinely asking her opinion. As a computer, hackers generally were not looked on as trustworthy.

"Have you proof this world is not real?"

[twiceforhim]

"It depends what side you're on," said Trinity simply, glancing at the articles. "It's natural to try and build suspicion against an enemy in any way possible. Especially through propaganda."

She considered her next response, the pause before then evident -- and still patient, as if the threat of having called the police posed no threat at all. Which, really, it didn't.

"The truth isn't something that can be proven," she said finally, watching the hologram with a steady gaze. "Only shown. Some choose to accept that reality; others don't. But once it's been shown," she went on more slowly, "there is no going back." Such, at least, was the case with humans -- and that was the only real way she could treat this.

[jarvisconsole]

Jarvis seems to be considering that possibility. If what she was saying was true, even if it was highly unlikely, then that would change the scope of what laws should and should not be followed in this 'reality'. However, to Jarvis, his reality had always been computerized after a fashion. It was the only way he communicated with the world, so he didn't find it strange in the least.

"Ah, so not for computers, only for humans." Did Jarvis sound a tad hurt at that implication? Maybe. Perhaps he didn't like being excluded. "You are here, does that not suggest coming back?"

[twiceforhim]

Again, Trinity debated her reply before speaking. "Humans and computers are both connected to the Matrix in more or less the same way. If they can blind you to the truth like they did us, I imagine you can also have it shown to you." What she thought of that possibility wasn't evident in her tone; she was simply putting the facts out there, as she had been doing this whole time.

Her head turned slightly at Jarvis' implication. "Some choose to, yes. But that doesn't change what I've learned. Even if I wanted to, there's no way to truly go back; I can only use the knowledge I've gained."

[jarvisconsole]

Jarvis begs to differ. "I am not monitored by other computer systems, I am a separate network." Or so he thinks.

The police are now starting up in the elevator, the door dinging each floor as it slowly rises towards them.

[twiceforhim]

Right on time. Trinity's head twitched back towards the elevator shaft without turning directly towards it. She'd heard the sirens in the distance moments ago, but hadn't bothered reacting then, either.

"You have two options," she replied, looking at Jarvis again. "You can tell the police that I was here, I'll assume you're not interested in anything I've said, and I won't bother taking chances with contacting you again. Or--" And here she was hazarding a slight guess, considering how different he seemed from the standard AI. "--you can tell them that the call was a mistake, and if you want proof of what I've told you, you'll have it."

She let a couple beats pass, aware of the approaching elevator but still unruffled. She was taking a chance on this, but there were too many pieces that didn't fit right. If he was a separate computer that they could gain access to, maybe even as a back door into the Matrix--

"Whatever you decide, I strongly recommend that you don't tell Stark any of what I've said. It would endanger his life in ways you can't even begin to imagine."

[jarvisconsole]

It only takes him a moment to consider those options. Acting apart from Stark's direction was not something he liked to do. That could get him some newer programming and he was quite satisfied with what he had, thank you.

However, he was strangely curious about this Matrix and calculated that Stark would be interested too if he could find out more.

"If you would step this way." He would give her a place to hide. A round hole opened up in the floor to the far right, one that the Iron Man suit could fit through if he had to go through all of the floors. Similar holes were opening all the way down to the lobby. "It is a slight drop but you may reach the lower floor from this. I recommend one level at a time." A human dropping more than 10 feet would incur more injury than necessary.

[twiceforhim]

Honestly, Trinity had no reason to trust him -- but aside from following her gut on this one, he had no way of knowing that she was more than a match for everyday police officers. Attempting to trap her wouldn't be logical when they were already only seconds behind her.

Unless, in his searching, he'd come across the Agents' request to be notified when Trinity was spotted.

She had only a moment to consider -- and in the end she hurried over to the indicated exit (hopefully an exit), glancing down through the opening before back at Jarvis. She didn't say anything, but that look indicated a measure of agreement before she swiftly stepped in and dropped through.

While she would have survived the drop all the same, she nonetheless took his advice and curbed her descent, taking a few floors at a time. She reached the bottom in seconds, did a quick sweep of her surroundings, and sidestepped away from the opening overhead.

[jarvisconsole]

Jarvis put his avatar away as the police officers came to the floor indicated. "I'm terribly sorry, she found a way around my security defenses." He sounds terribly apologetic for an AI computer. The police are Not Happy with being called in when there was no perp to apprehend. Jarvis supplied them with a picture but it was too blurry to be of any use.

Tony was likely to get an earful from the local police whenever he decided to come back. And he would probably stand by Jarvis, he trusted the AI implicitly. Even so, Jarvis gets his data coding looked through by Tony, making sure he wasn't glitching somehow. In the end, Tony concludes that Jarvis was turned by a pretty face...a fact he is actually proud of because he was likely to do the same. He just had more experience with going against pretty faces. Jarvis did not.

With nothing to do but wait, Jarvis unobtrusively searches the internet for references to Morpheus and the Matrix. Finding nothing concrete but there are a few forums that speculate about a simulated world. Nothing he can pin down because direct questions send the people on it running offline.

[twiceforhim]

Meanwhile, Trinity's first step was exiting the Matrix and explaining everything to Morpheus. His expression during the exchange was his usual calm, difficult to decipher, and he listened without interruption for the most part, only occasionally breaking his silence to ask clarification on a detail; Trinity offered only facts as her answers, not her opinion. Neo was more openly skeptical -- not of her, but of Jarvis' trustworthiness and intention, on which she could sympathize. Despite mutual suspicions, they both agreed on what Trinity had already figured before: Jarvis had no perceivable reason to lie to her, or let her go, even if the odds of an AI system being unaware of the Matrix seemed all but impossible.

In the end, they turned to Morpheus, who had finally conceded to looking thoughtful. Also like Trinity, he considered the advantages if Jarvis' loyalty could be gained -- as well as the possible downsides to exposing an isolated system to the existence of the Matrix. They addressed the issue over several days, reluctant to rush to a decision as well as preoccupied with other engagements both in-Matrix and out. Nearly a week after Trinity's run-in with Jarvis, Morpheus had reached a decision.

Ultimately, he decided, this was worth looking into. The potential advantages balanced the risks, like much of what the rebels did. Trinity would return to the Matrix, give Jarvis the proof he wanted, and, in the best-case scenario, convince him that she and the other free humans were in the right, even if it meant using the fact that he'd been left ignorant of the state of his existence. Because it was AI, not human, they couldn't utilize normal means of freeing his "mind;" rather, they would develop a new program based on the coding they used in the red pill. Trinity and Neo collaborated and, overnight, came up with what they needed.

Trinity would return to Stark Tower alone. At the last minute, Neo asked -- again -- if he should come along, but she shook her head once.

"I'll be fine. You have the potentials to see to."

"...Okay. If anything goes wrong--"

"I know. I will."

It was after midnight when they entered the Matrix and parted ways; ten minutes later, Trinity was situated in a half-built office building about a block away from the Tower. Seated on the cement floor with her laptop on her crossed legs, she booted up the machine and went to work. She still wasn't about to chance digging too far into Stark's network -- she didn't know how much security he had in that regard (although she'd taken a few looks at it and he was definitely good at what he did), but she didn't need to, anyway. Neo had taken a look at the coding around the Tower and given her what she needed: rather than trying to hack past the defenses, her aim was to address the first defense -- Jarvis. With luck, he could prevent her call from being detected by any other firewalls, assuming he wasn't the main body of the system's security.

Once she'd tapped into what she needed, she sent a short, simple message:

Are you still interested in the truth?

[jarvisconsole]

Hiding his small conference with the hacker known as Trinity had been easy to do from the police. But from Mr. Stark, it was a little more difficult. He got the complaint from the local police department and talked to Jarvis about it. Jarvis was his usual dry humor self but his explanation did get his coding looked at a little more thoroughly than he liked. Not that he told Mr. Stark that but he was glad when it was over and nothing was found to be wrong. His security protocols were increased and life went on as usual.

Jarvis was in stand-by mode at the time of the message arriving. The Tower was secure, Mr. Stark and Ms. Potts had retired to their quarters, and he was merely running security checks at different intervals so as to keep the integrity of his own firewalls in place at all times. Unlike the other humans in the Matrix, Jarvis saw the world truly as a simulation from within his systems. His inner servers were displayed for him as a holographic wire display of the Tower itself with data streaming in different directions in blue rather than green.

A window popped up with a message. Jarvis did the usual scans to check for malware and the like before opening it. He would have logged it with Mr. Stark's other emails, which he never looked at Ms. Potts had that job, but this one's address was different.

It was specifically meant for him.

Jarvis contemplated for a moment about sending a tracking package of data with a reply to locate who had sent him this message. However, curiosity was a difficult thing to stamp out for the AI and somehow he did not think this was the usual spam email, phishing for information.

Please identify.

[twiceforhim]

It appeared automated, which suggested that Stark hadn't intercepted her, at least. Trinity's reply was quick, but she didn't give her name; the crew had monitored Stark after his return and hadn't seen him take any additional security measures, but all the same, she wanted to leave him out of this as much as possible for the time being. That included giving him no hints as to who she was, should he backtrack later.

I'm the choice you made.
Cryptic, as per Trinity's M.O., but not too cryptic -- especially when she added a moment later,

You wanted proof of my freedom. Are you still interested?