-
“Strap him in,” Osiris ordered as Regor and two sentries entered the torture room along with Tron. “The pain shall weaken him just enough.” Once his new prisoner was drained enough he will accept the old and new code.
“What are you going to do with me?” Tron asked as he was strapped to the electric wall.
“You are going to help me take control of all systems,” Osiris said as he turned on the electricity.
Tron grunted and cringed. His eyes were half closed as he thrashed about. He seemed to be fighting the urge to scream.
“That shall be the first taste,” Osiris said and turned off the power. He turned it on again and increased the strength of the power.
“There is more,” Regor said.
“Oh?” Osiris only half listened to his minion. He was more interested in listening to Tron’s screams.
“We have the component the others stole.”
“Excellent.” He turned off the machine and watched as the famous security program pant. “Give it here.”
“Yes master,” Regor said and placed the component into Osiris’s outstretched hand.
Osiris turned on the pain and studied the component. He opened up the end and read what was inside. “Original clothing and armor, favorite dress, white dress, golden dre—Regor you idiot.” He held up the files. “This is from a holographic simulator.” He threw it at his minion. “Get out.”
“Sorry,” Regor said with a bow and ran out.
“Pathetic.” Osiris turned off the machine and stared at Tron. The security program had his hair disheveled. Tears had formed in the corner of his eyes. The color in his face had drained, leaving him to be almost as white as his circuits. “I won’t need him, not when I have you.”
-
Alan half listened to the others in his party while they made their trek to the I/O tower. He also tried to think of what he was going to say when he reached it. Was he just going to tell Adrian to put in the disk? He had to think what Adrian was doing right now. Time was different on the other side but if Adrian had just finished watching Alan being digitized then he was going to be frightened to the point where he would run out of the place, or turn of the laser or both.
“What are you calculating?” Arc asked as he slowed his pace down to where he was walking next to him.
“What I’m going to say to my friend,” Alan answered. He knew he was going to have to say something calming to Adrian to get him to listen and insert the disk.
“Did he see you get pulled in?” The program asked
“He did.”
“He must be worried about you,” Arc said. “This might impede our mission.”
“Adrian is probably panicking, but he is logical. He will come through for us. We just need to calm him down.”
“We will just have to have what you Users called faith.”
“I don’t kneed faith to know what Adrian is capable of.”
Arc smirked. “I know it might not seem much to Users, but we have to have faith in you. It gives us hope and as of now it is the only thing some of us have left.”
Alan couldn’t argue that. It didn’t seem like much, but it did make sense to him. He looked back over his shoulder to see that Ram and Janelle were both in a deep conversation.
“There are so many viruses out there,” Ram said in an astonished and frightened tone. “For Users and their animals. It’s amazing that you all haven’t shut down megacycles ago.”
“Sometimes when we are hit with a flu we feel like our systems are shutting down,” Janelle said. “Even a grown man can feel like a weak and defenseless child.”
Alan had to agree. He remembered the last time he had the flu and Lora had to baby him.
“How do you overcome it?” Ram asked.
“Strong immune systems,” Janelle said. “And vaccines. In case we get hit with a rhinovirus we just drink plenty of juice, eat plenty of soup, get plenty of rest and take the right kind of medicine.”
“I have heard about vaccines,” Ram said. “But I’m not sure how they work.”
“Let me try to put it in your terms. We have a virus that is nearly derezzed or has derezzed and keep in mind that outside dead things don’t fade away. Our security system learns from that weak and dead virus how it functions and how to fight and prevent live and strong versions from attacking.”
“I see.” Ram rubbed the top and back of his head. “You bodies do things differently than us.”
“We are kind of built differently.”
“Interesting,” Arc said and nodded back to the two. “The other User is a healer?”
“Wanted to be,” Alan answered.
“What prevented her?”
“Tragedy.” Alan wasn’t certain if he could explain every little detail about Janelle’s death or her miraculous resurrection. “Long story. She might be able to pursue her dream now.” He wasn’t sure if she could. Would she lose her new body when she stepped out from the system?
“We are almost there,” Arc said and pointed to the silvery white dome that was toped with a spiral that looked as if it were made from crystal. The dome was framed on each side by a flat rectangle that curved at the bottom, almost fin shaped in structure. It was illuminated by a soft blue light.
“It’s beautiful,” Alan said when he saw it. “Then again everything about this world is beautiful.” Well almost everything, but he decided to be polite about it.
“You should be proud of it then,” Arc said with a smile. “Users did create this world.”
Alan only half smiled at that. Users did create this world and they also messed around with it. It was because of a User that the ENCOM grid was in such a state.
“Did you know my User?” Arc asked. “Not the one who currently talks to me. There are actually three that I speak with, but do you know the one that wrote me?”
“His name was Michael Grants,” Alan answered as he remembered the former employee.
“I remember his name,” Arc said and closed his eyes. “What was he like?”
“He was a genius,” Alan said. “One of the best. He was even smarter than me. He left at the start of the millennium to work with an old college friend of his to start their own business.”
“He’s a rival of ENCOM now?” Arc asked sadly.
“They work making medical technology and equipment. I think it was a better purpose.”
“Thank you,” Arc said and smiled.
There were sleek dark steps that led to inside the tower and inside there were even more steps that led to a flat altar. There was a gap in the altar as if something was missing.
“Wasn’t there a guardian?” Janelle asked. “I remember the stories having some sort of priest like guardian.”
“The tower guardian is closer than you think,” Ram told them. “He’s been with us the whole time.”
Alan turned to Arc. “You? You are the guardian of this tower?” He could not believe this leader, this skilled warrior was also a religious figure.
“That is me,” Arc answered.
“Why did you leave your tower?” Janelle asked. “Don’t these programs need to speak with their Users?”
“We are at a time of war,” Arc said. “I could just simply sit around and do nothing, or I could lead those who wish to fight. They needed someone to lead. Your program was gone from the system. It was just me, Ram and Yori. There are other towers in this secured area. The still have their guardians.”
“Still not certain how this works,” Alan said. He looked past the pulpit and into the v shaped opening.
“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Arc said as he sat in the depression. He pressed a few buttons. “We will be able to communicate now. I have also included a sound file.” He turned to the other program and Janelle. “We need for you to stay here.”
“I want to speak with him,” Janelle said in a pleading tone. “I want to tell him that everything will be all right.”
“I’ll tell him everything,” Alan said.
“I want to talk to him,” Janelle said as tears formed in her eyes. “Please, Alan, I haven’t been able to communicate with him for so long.”
“I know you loved him,” Alan said as he stared into her eyes. “A part of you still does, but you are letting your emotions take control. We have to get this message out.”
“He needs to know.”
“When this is over.”
“What if that never happens?”
“It will happen.” Alan grabbed her hands. “You have to believe in Adrian, believe in Tron and Sam.”
“Easy there.” Ram said and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know you miss the one you love. I’m worried about my lover.”
“You don’t understand.”
“You can tell me.” Ram never lost his friendly smile and placed an arm around her shoulder. “It breaks me to see a User cry.”
“Sorry,” Janelle said and wiped away some of her tears. “My story is a long one.”
“You can tell me and show me some of your disk tricks. Tron told me you were pretty good.”
Alan watched them. He had to make certain that Janelle would not turn around. He nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“This way,” Arc said and led them through the opening. “Ram will keep her occupied.”
“I can’t blame her.” Alan said as he walked towards the light. “I would want to do the same if I were in her shoes.”
“She and Adrian were in love?”
“Once upon a time.”
“This tragedy you mentioned before caused them to separate?”
“More than you would know.”
“She is not ready to move on?” Arc asked as he looked over his shoulder.
“She has. Janelle is happy for Adrian and Kathleen. She hasn’t been able to speak with Adrian for years.”
“Ah.” Arc nodded his head. “I hope Tron is just as understanding.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He was in love once with Yori?”
“Yeah, they still are, right?”
“Once upon a time.”
“What do you mean? Programs are not like Users, they don’t fall out of love like we do.” He wasn’t certain how romance and love work in Cyberspace. He didn’t want something that would cause Tron’s heart, or whatever it is that is similar to a heart, to be crushed.
“Unless there is a tragedy,” Arc sighed and shook his head. “When Tron stopped communicating with us we thought the worst had happened. Everyone believed he had long been derezzed, including Yori. She grieved for several megacycles. Ram provided comfort.”
“And she fell in love with Ram.” Alan had heard the stories before in the Real World. Soldiers would be reported as M.I.A and later dead. Their loved ones would eventually give up hope and grieve and would move on only to later find out their spouse was still alive.
“We can talk about this later.” Arc pointed at the column of light. “Speak with Adrian.”
-
Adrian stared in horror as Alan was struck with the laser. The older man’s body was illuminated with a green-blue light while the beams from the laser sliced him up and pulled the pieces inside it’s machine.
“Alan,” Adrian cried out, knowing full well that it was no use. His friend was dead, killed by some program and whoever was running it.
He fell out of the chair and turned to face the dangerous machine. The glass was still illuminated. It was about to go off again.
Adrian launched himself across the floor and over to where the machine was. His hands flew out in desperation and flicked off every switch he could find on it. He couldn’t find where the plug was and if he could he wasn’t sure if he would be strong enough to pull them out, not with the way his whole body was shaking.
The last thing he did for extra secure measure was pulled a metal shelving case that was full of files and equipment in front of the laser.
“Shit!” Adrian felt all of the strength in his legs melt away and collapsed where Alan was last standing. “God damn it, no!” He punched the floor and covered his face with his hands. Alan was dead because of him. He just had to insult that psychotic program, now his friend was gone in the most horrific way imaginable and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.
There was one thing. He had to call Sam and his girlfriend and tell them what had happened. They will report it to the police and when they find their hackers they will make sure they will charged with several accounts of murder.
His stomach had other plans for him. He found the nearest trash can, pulled back the lid and emptied out his guts and continued until nothing came up. The second he had finished with his dry heaves he collapsed on his side. It was a few minuted before Adrian could move, and the most he could do was sit up. He braced his back against a wall and took deep shallow breaths. He hadn’t had a reaction like that since Janelle was pronounced dead.
“Action,” Adrian’s voice cracked. He had to take action now. He pulled out his phone and dialed Sam’s number. The phone rang several times. “Pick up, pick up pick up.” He closed it when he reached the voice mail. “Shit.”
What was he going to do? He couldn’t reach Sam. He couldn’t call his team from work, they had no idea what was going on. There was no way he was just going to call the police. He wasn’t just going to leave.
“Alan,” Adrian whispered as he stood back up. “I’m sorry.” He did not look forward to facing Mrs. Bradley and giving her the bad news. “I promise I will find out who did this. I will make sure that death machine is disassembled. I pro-“ The sound of a guitar twang cut him off.
The sound came from the computer. There was a new window on the screen. The guitar sound was heard again.
“Sam?” Adrian wondered if that was his friend, or someone else within the building.
“Adrian, it’s me, Alan,” the message on the window read. “I know how hard this is for you believe, but it’s me.”
“Not funny,” Adrian typed in. “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are but this isn’t funny.”
“You have to believe me,” the text replied. “I’m within the system of ENCOM. The laser pulled me in to a form of Cyberspace. We are trying to fight Osiris and we need your help.”
“Osiris?” Adrian typed.
“Foamy.”
Adrian stared at the screen. Alan was the only one who heard Adrian call the wayward program that, except for Foamy himself. Could it be?
-
“Come on Adrian,” Alan said as he stared at the light. “Respond.”
“Alan that is you in the matrix?” A voice responded. It did not sound like Adrian but something almost distant.
“You can call it that,” Alan said. He couldn’t wait for Adrian to respond. “When we first met you were so nervous about the internship that your nose started to bleed while we talked. We need you to put in that disk, upload the contents and run it. You have to do it now.” He did not know how much time they were going to need, only that they have a limited amount, even if Tron and his group had made it onto Osiris’s ship and shut down the power that was only going to buy them a little bit of time.
-
Osiris poured himself a glass of energy, taking special not to spill a single drop and his shaky hands were not helping. He had lost a crucial component to power his ship. They were still floating but there would be no way to signal his rectifyer or his troops. He had ordered Regor to send out a team to track down the group of programs who stole from him.
There was one redeeming spark about the situation. They were able to capture the powerful warrior, named Tron and strapped him against the torture wall.
Osiris took the security program’s disk and inserted the flecks of data that he had collected while he made certain Tron was in constant pain. He did not need nor want Tron. He wanted a warrior that would fight for him and him only. He replaced the name of Clu with his own.
“Master!” Regor barged in on him.
“Have we forgotten our manners?” Osiris asked. “This is how you greet me?” He took a long drink from his glass nearly draining it.
“I’m sorry,” Regor said and bowed before him.
“That’s better.” He stared at his glass and swirled the remaining liquid around. “Tell me you have the component.” He stared at Regor and noticed his number one had swallowed deeply. “You did not capture those programs?”
“I’m sorry master,” Regor said. “There was a situation.”
“Unless the whole system was crashing I do not want to hear it.” He turned around.
“But I have a good reason.”
Osiris sighed. “Spit it out.”
“I sent out several teams to find them. There had been reports that they were de-rezzed single handedly by this juggernaut.”
“A single program?” Osiris raised an eyebrow.
“Not a program. We don’t think he is. I don’t think he’s a User either. They said it was huge and brutal. It ripped our soldiers apart.”
“What is this thing?” Osiris asked. The thing did cause him some concern. It might take hundreds of soldiers to take it down.
“Not sure. One who escaped said it was a SBM.” Regor blinked. “You don’t suppose it could be the one we broke down?”
“Don’t be absurd. They almost never reconfigure after they have been separated.”
“It would make sense on why it was attacking our soldiers. It probably wants revenge for what we have done to him.”
“Impossible.” Osiris stared at his glass. That new SBM would be a bit of a threat, however they have a new weapon. “We will continue. Send more troops on foot back through the Firewall. They will get in contact with the rest of my forces and rectifyer.”
“What about the rest of us?”
“We will crush the opposition.”
“Now?” Regor asked.
“We will wear them down and when they think they have won then we will strike with everything we have.” He turned to the figure standing in the doorway behind him.
“They have Users on their side.”
“And we have him.” Osiris pointed at the figure and beckoned him in. He watched as the program walk in and bow before Osiris. “Who do you serve?”
“I serve my master, Osiris,” the program said.
“And what is your name?”
“Rinzler.”
-