Chapter 20:
A Miracle on the 34th Sector
-
Dean’s eyes widened as the barb pierced Sammy’s leg. He had no idea if it was venomous of it if would just induce pain. He watched as his brother’s leg went limp before he rolled over to face the ugly monstrosity that was staring him down.
The monster had a dome shaped, hairless head and mostly human features in its face. He had bushy eyebrows, large yellow eyes and a hook like nose. It pulled its lips back and revealed three rows of sharp teeth on the top and bottom of its mouth.
Gunfire was heard from Sam’s direction. He used what last bit of strength he had left to fire the rifle.
The monster recoiled in pain when the bullet struck its shoulder. Dean half expected the thing to derezz, but it didn’t. It did give him enough wiggle room for him to stretch and grab his sword.
Still growling, the monster raised his paw, long curling claws unsheathed and ready to strike down on Dean.
Dean shoved the blade into the beast’s chest and using every bit of strength he had to plunge deeper and twisted it around.
The monster roared again as grid like fractures covered it’s entire body. The game sprite crumbled into thousands of tiny glass like cubes that showered Dean’s body.
“Sammy,” Dean gasped as he stood up. He could see his brother unconscious with the barb still sticking out of his leg. He would have to attend his brother’s injuries later. “Lia.”
The snake like creature had its coils completely wrapped around the program. Only the top of Lia’s head from eyes up were exposed.
“Let her go, Jafar,” Dean said as he ran up to the snake monster. He swung his blade and cut into one of the segments.
The large head of the snake hissed at Dean and lunged at him, only to miss when Dean sidestepped it. He lunged for Dean a second time and once again he missed as he did before.
“Not so tough without your friend,” Dean said as he jumped back again. He kept one eye on the snake and another eye on Lia. His plan was working. In it’s pursuit, the snake was gradually unwrapping the program. “Losing your grip, Serpentor.”
Lia fell to her knees when she was completely unwrapped and it looked like she was gasping for air. She showed no signs of deresoultion.
Dean jumped and landed a few feet behind the snake’s head. He waited until it lunged itself at him again before he brought down the sword and decapitated it. He watched as it derezzed and was half disappointed it wasn’t real. He could of used the skin to make a kick ass pair of boots.
“Lia, Sammy,” Dean gasped as he ran to where Lia and Sam where. The program had recovered while Dean was in the process of killing the snake and had removed the barb from Sam’s leg. “How is he?”
“He’s awake,” Lia said as she pulled a small glowing blue bottle from her pack that was clipped to her belt. “But he is unable to move.” She poured some liquid on Sam’s injury and then held the bottle while Sam drank the remains. “I know you were thirsty earlier but I was saving that bottle for an emergency.”
“I’m glad you did,” Dean said as he grabbed Sam’s hand. “How are you bro?”
“I can barely feel my arms,” Sam mumbled as if he had his jaw shot up with Novocain. “Can’t feel my legs at all.”
“How much further is this spring?”
“Not very far at all,” Lia said.
“We are going to have to carry him.” Dean placed his arms around Sam’s midsection and hefted him up while Lia grabbed his legs.
-
Tron had felt his bike derezz as soon as the shell from the tank made contact. He launched himself forward, aiming himself for Yori and when he did not reach her he pulled himself and his limbs into a ball and tumbled on the ground. He felt the rocks strike his body and most of his armor repelled them but the impact of the various rocks was enough to cause intense pain. He gasped when one of them pierced his armor near his shoulder.
It was over before he knew it. Tron felt sore all over and his arm and head near his left temple hurt the worst and he could feel some of the rocks weighing down on him. He was still able to move. He threw the rocks off him and stood back up.
“Yori.” He called out as he ran to where he had last seen her. He was only vaguely aware of something warm and wet dribbling down his head as he tore away at the rocks. He froze when he saw her.
She was lying there, semi curled and motionless. Her eyes were closed and there were cuts on her face where tiny pixels and sparks escaped. She was still alive, injured but still alive.
Tron scooped her up in his arms and ran for the nearest cover. He found several trees that grew close and tight together. He carried her through the copse and continued to run. His gaze shifted from where he was going to her. He just needed to find the gap in the rock wall. It was a long straight path that would take him straight to the energy spring.
“Tron?” Yori whispered his name.
“I’m here, Yori,” he said to her. “I’m going to get you to the energy spring.”
He found the gap in the wall and squeezed through. He didn’t want anyone to follow them and after he set Yori down on the other side he grabbed some of the foliage to cover the space after him.
It was a good thing he had done so. He heard the sound of tank outside along with several programs running around. Tron hoped that he was able to have gotten through the gap without anyone seeing them.
“There is nothing sir,” one of soldiers said. “No sign of any of them.”
“Are you certain?” The voice caused Tron’s circuits to run cold. It couldn’t be him. Tron had derezzed him in battle.
“100 percent positive, sir,” the soldier said. “They have been derezzed.”
“Master Control is not going to be pleased,” Sark said. “Move out. We still have to find the others.”
Tron waited until he was certain they were gone before he spoke. “Sark is back.”
“I heard,” Yori said before she groaned in pain.
“I’m going to get you to that spring.” He carried her as fast as he could manage through the narrow path.
“I never stopped believing, Tron,” Yori said as she closed her eyes again. “I never stopped believing I would see you again.”
“What are you talking about?” He asked and looked down. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the familiar lines form across her chest.
“ I’m glad I was able to be with you for this short time.” More cracks formed across her abdomen. “I love you, Tron. I always will.”
“Don’t say that, Yori. You are going to make it.” He held her closer to himself. “We are going to save the system again. Don’t leave me.” He closed his eyes as a few tears fell out. “Please stay with me.” He was not going to lose her. He refused to lose her. “Please Users let her stay. Please Alan-One, please don’t take her away.” He had to pray to something stronger. “Please Castiel’s father let her live. Great Creator I beg of you. I love her.” He opened his eyes.
The cracks on Yori had stabilized. The glow of her circuitry was in synch with his and when his pulsed so did hers. The fragments retracted, smoothed over and even the cuts on her face slowly healed.
“Yori,” Tron said her name in joy before he kissed her.
“I’m not derezzing,” Yori said as she opened her eyes and looked down at herself. “I’m alive.”
“Thank the Users and Castiel’s father,” Tron said.
She smiled as he set her down and she was able to stand back up. She reached for his face or hair and pulled back. Her eyes widened in shock.
“What is it?”
Yori ran her finger down near his temple and held it up. It was coated in deep red liquid; blood. “There’s more on your shoulder. Tron, you’re bleeding.”
“I’m not,” Tron said as he glanced at his shoulder where more of the liquid was trickling down. He ran his finger over it and studied it. The substance looked like blood. “We don’t bleed. Programs don’t bleed.”
“You brought me back.” Her voice was faint but she was smiling again. “Just like Flynn.”
“That was because he was a User.” He licked his lips.
“And now you are one.”
“Can’t be,” Tron gasped. He stared at the blood, his blood and looked into her eyes. “Is it possible?”
She didn’t say anything, she only laced her fingers through his hair and guided down his head towards hers until their lips met.
-
Kruz stared at the pile of pixels in the middle of the jungle. He had known what the setting was when he was able to read up on such information from the User world. What he wondered was how Master Control was able to recreate such a terrain within their world or why. Now he knew it was used to trap and separate their enemy. He should have never questioned his leader.
“What kind of program was that?” Kruz asked as he stood over one of his lieutenants as the program ran a scan over the pile.
“Game sprite,” the lieutenant said as he turned the scanner off. “Just as you had stated.”
“And the other?”
“Both bit dumps are.”
“Watch your language, young man,” Kruz said. He liked his soldiers to keep clean, even their mouths.
“Sorry sir.”
Kruz nodded as he brought his gloved hand to his mouth. He hadn’t done such a gesture in a near cycle. He would do it back when he was an ordinary security program, a mere lieutenant for the old system before the new Master Control came into the picture. It helped him think as he tracked down suspicious programs.
“Commander?” The lieutenant looked up at him.
Kruz held up his hand. “Let me see.” He walked towards one of the trees. “One of those who were looking for was right here and they were attacked by one of the sprites.” He walked back to the pile that was most recently scanned. “Another was attacked right here.” He pointed at the ground. “You can see the struggle. One tried to rescue the other when they were attacked.
“And what happened over here?” The lieutenant asked as he pointed to the copper colored stinger that was on the ground. Greenish-yellow liquid was dripping out of the pointed end.
“There was a third program here,” Kruz answered after he picked up the stinger. “He tried to attack but was stung.” He ran a finger over the length of the stinger. More of the same liquid had covered it along with a dark red substance. “One of them is an advanced level, like some of our new soldiers.” He had often asked why some of the programs would bleed like that. Master Control had said it was a new kind of program that he had developed.
“I thought Master control could only create that kind,” the lieutenant said.
“Apparently someone else can,” Kruz said and remembered the warning he received about the powerful entity that had come to system. “He is our main enemy.”
“Sir?” One of the soldiers asked and pointed to their left as the sound of tank treads grinding and tearing was heard.
Three of the tanks drove up to them, mowing down anything in their path including several of the trees before they came to stop. The hatches opened and several soldiers including Captain Sark crawled out.
“Captain on the ground,” Kruz ordered. “Everyone at attention.” He watched as everyone snapped in line with their backs rigid.
“Commander,” Sark addressed him.
“Captain,” Kruz greeted him and gave him a salute.
“I have seen you remembered your place,” Sark said dryly. “What have you to report?”
“Three of our fugitives have come this way,” Kruz said and pointed at the tree. “One was ambushed by a game sprite program. Another tried to attack when a second sprite got the jump on him.” He pointed to the second pile. “The third program had tried to attack and was struck. The other two programs were able to get the upper hand and derezzed the sprites.”
“What is this you are telling me?” Sark asked.
“I’m telling you what happened,” Kruz said and changed his tone to the sweetest little voice he could muster. “Just like you asked, captain.”
“I want to know where those programs are. None of this superfluous details.”
“I was in the middle of tracking everything down when you have arrived. I even found out one of the fugitives is a new advanced type of program. One that bleeds like a User.” He held out the stinger and showed Sark the blood. The other program seemed unimpressed.
“You are an idiot but I can see why you do not know.”
“Do not know what?” Kruz asked.
“Since Master Control has not deemed you worthy to receive such knowledge I shall not give it out.”
“Are you saying that you know about advanced programs that Master Control created?
“I know they are quite powerful and have been reprogrammed to do our bidding,” Sark said in an impressed tone. “I’m sorry he didn’t think you were able to calculate such a concept.”
“Don’t take that tone with me.” Kruz felt his circuits heat up with rage. How could Master Control he keep such a secret from Kruz but tell Sark the truth.
“And you are forgetting your place again.”
“My place was your place. You come around strutting like that. I don’t see any of the fugitives with you.”
“Apparently you were not good enough to keep your position. I order you to step back.”
“You are right,” Kruz said as he took a step back. “We can’t be fighting like this in front of the kids.”
“I am taking my troop and moving out,” Sark said. “I have received new orders. You are to remain here and track down the fugitives.”
Kruz glared at Sark’s back. That arrogant son of a glitch can think he waltz over everything? He may have been rezzed in to replace Kruz, but he does not have his tracking skills.
“Don’t let him get to you, sir,” the lieutenant said as the tanks drove away. “Not many of us trust him and we like you better.”
“I appreciate the compliment,” Kruz said. He stared at the ground where he had found the barb. “The one program was immobilized. He had to be carried.” He looked up through the jungle. “And I know where they were headed.”
-
The spring was not quite what Dean was expecting. He thought it would be a jungle waterfall but it turned out to be a pond surrounded by grass with a few flowers. There were a few shrubs and what looked like glowing crystals hanging over the blue-green pond.
“Lia, I need you to hold him up,” Dean said and took the empty vial from her. He filled it up and brought it back for his brother to drink.
“Thanks,” Sam said as his speech became cleared. He was able to grab the vial when he was halfway finished with it and once he was done he was able to stand up again.
Once Sammy was cured of his paralysis, Dean went to satisfy his thirst along with Lia. He scooped up handfuls of the stuff and drank it down. The cool liquid burned his dry throat at first but he drank it down rapidly, becoming more satisfied with each new drop. He didn’t stop until his circuits were almost blinding him with their luminescence.
“What about Tron and Yori?” Sam asked. “They said they were heading over here.”
“I’m sure they are fine,” Dean said. He hoped he was right. “You’ve seen how that security program is like in battle. A few game sprite programs are not going to slow that guy down.”
“I’ll try to contact them,” Lia said as she activated her light cycle. “Tron? Yori? This is Lia. We are at the spring. Do you read?”
Dean glanced over at his brother. He had seen Sam take a couple of handfuls of the energy himself but his circuits were not as bright as his. The neurotoxin that immobilized him seemed to be out of his system.
“You should drink more,” Dean told his brother.
“I’ll be fine,” Sam said.
“You need more.”
“I feel fine.” Sam took another handful of the energy anyway.
“Why do you always have to question me?”
“Because I’m your brother.”
Dean shook his head and turned to Lia. “Hear anything?”
“No,” Lia said as Dean saw two figures walking towards them. “I haven’t heard anything. I’m worried.”
“I think I see them.” Dean pointed at the two programs. From their distance he could see that one was female and while their circuitry was dim it was also blue. “They might need our help.” He ran up to them and stopped when he got a look at Tron. “What happened to you guys?”
“Sark ambushed us,” Tron said. He had a deep cut near his left temple and something had pierced his shoulder armor. There was blood like substance near both wounds, some if it had soaked into Tron’s hair and more had trickled down his arm.
“What’s a Sark?” Sam asked.
“An old enemy,” Yori said as they continued their way to the spring. “I was nearly derezzed, but Tron brought me back.” She looked into the eyes of her lover and smiled.
“You need some medical attention there, buddy,” Dean said.
“Is that…blood?” Sam asked.
“Impossible,” Dean said. “Users bleed, Right?”
“Correct,” Tron said as he kneeled against the spring.
“So what is that?” Sam asked.
“Blood,” Yori said. She kneeled down next to Tron.
“But you just said…” Dean felt himself trail off as the realization hit. Tron was human. Somehow he had become human.
“What’s going on?” Lia asked. She had collapsed her bike and ran over to where they were.
“Tron has become a User,” Yori explained as she applied some of the energy to the former program’s wounds.
“How?” Sam asked.
“That’s not possible,” Lia said at the same time. “Is it?”
“I don’t know,” Dean said. “Do you know how this happened?” He directed the question to Tron and Yori.
“No,” Tron said before he took a long drink. “I don’t how this happened. I didn’t know this was possible.”
“Quorra was a program,” Dean said. “And she’s human now.”
“But she was an ISO.” He closed his eyes and inhaled before he brought another handful of liquid to his mouth.
“Gabriel,” Dean growled out his name. “He knew this whole time. He said there was something off about Tron, but he didn’t say what.”
“Maybe he didn’t know,” Sam said.
“Oh he knew,” Dean said. “He knew and I’m going to get some answers from him.”
Tron and Yori finished drinking but Tron remained where he was kneeling and looked into the water. Dean realized the former program was looking at his own reflection. He sat down next to his friend as Tron had pulled back at his upper lip with a finger and examined his teeth. He stuck out his own tongue and stared at that for a few seconds before he pulled down his lower right eyelid.
“We’ll figure this out,” Dean said and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. When Tron looked up at him, Dean stared into his eyes. The circuits were no longer amongst the blues and was replaced with the dark speckles and dots all humans had.
“The others are waiting for us,” Tron said as he stood back up. He walked away from the spring and returned to the jungle path with everyone following behind.
-
A/N: The title is based on the movie “A miracle on 34th street.”