Tron: Deliverance

STARTING....

Tron and the two mechanics had taken the recently depurposed program to a bunk in one of the cave-like rooms of the hideout. Giving him some quiet so his system could reboot properly. They would need every pair of hands they could get to go save Jet. So the sooner Beck was back on his feet the better. Quorra and Lora were hard at work modifying the delivery system for the firewall tagger. And last he had seen, Sam and the security programs were studying the systems around the coliseum. Alan would have insisted they go get Jet immediately. But according to Lora, Jet had been left in a cell for the night. Which gave them some time to develop a plan that would hopefully, not get anyone ELSE captured.

Alan waited just outside the doorway, at hand if there was something wrong with the young program's code but giving the three others some space as well. He watched Tron's demeanor with interest. Admittedly he hadn't known his program for very long. But he had seen a pretty good cross section of his behavior. He was quiet and terse at times, observant, logical, respectful and incredibly tense in every moment. He reminded Alan of himself in many ways. Arguably a much more war-like and battle scarred version of himself. But the similarities were there.

But now Alan watched Tron look after the three young mechanic programs.

"He's taking too long to wake up" Zed said tremulously as he paced back and forth by the cot.

Mara knelt by her friend, holding his hand and watching the program's sleeping face.

"Your work was amazing Zed. It purged all the malware" she looked back at Tron, who stood behind them imposingly, his arms crossed "You said so, right Tron? He'll be ok?" Her eyes were large and pleading.

Alan's head snapped back. That was exactly the look Jet had given him when Flynn had gone missing all those years ago.

"He's alright right dad? Uncle Flynn will come back soon right?"

Alan shook his head to clear away the memory. That was one of the real nasty parts of an eidetic memory that no one seemed to understand. Yes, he remembered all the useful information. But the painful moments. The pleading and heartbroken look in his son's eyes never seemed to go away.

He shook himself back to the present to watch Tron shift. He spoke slowly and deeply "You did good work Zed. You both made this possible. I believe Beck will be fine. None of us can be exactly how we used to be. But I believe that at his core. He is still the friend you knew"

The two young programs relaxed at that. Zed stopped his pacing. They seemed to trust Tron's word as they patiently waited for their friend to wake up.

"Did it hurt? When you were repurposed" Mara asked in a small voice. She stared soulfully at Beck's face, but her question was definitely directed at Tron.

Alan's program shifted, flinched actually "It....was not pleasant. But my memories are heavily fragmented. Beck may not even remember much"

She looked up to him sadly, obviously not buying his very thin layer of sugar coating.

Then, the light lines of the program on the cot burned a brighter blue-white. Two cerulean lines glowing darker down his front. Suddenly, a white glowing mark pixelated to life on his chest. A 'T" just like Tron's. Interesting. He was waking up.

Beck shifted and opened his eyes. They were dark now, no longer a glowing orange. He looked down to his hand, the one Mara held.

"You look pretty worried Mara. Is someone sick or something?" He asked in a joking voice. Somewhat marred by how scratchy and faint it was. Like he hadn't spoken in a very long time.

"Beck!" Zed said exultantly, plunking down beside the bunk "you remember us?!"

Beck raised an eyebrow at his friend "I know my memory hasn't always been super reliable but I'm insulted you thought I could forget your dumb face"