Chapter 8: The Office
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“Users?” Dean repeated as he and Tron were lead back to their cells. “We are up against Users?”
“That is what I don’t understand,” Tron said in a worried tone. “Users don’t side with enemy programs. Those in red do not care for Users or they don’t believe they exist.”
“They might think we are the enemy,” Dean said. “Or they might just think it’s a game with red verses blue. We do that in the grass and sunny world.”
“They feel like they might want to be competing for their lives,” the security program said in a thoughtful tone. “It might be easier to process that bit of data instead of thinking of the alternative.”
“And what would that be?” Dean could not believe he was understanding the computer speak. Maybe being in the system he was absorbing it?
“The possibility that they are repurposing Users.”
“Brainwashing them,” Dean said. “Using some form of mind control.” He tensed back up. “I think I know what happens to the losers.”
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Kruz stomped up the steps to his private chamber. He could not believe the attitude he received from those two players. Just because one was able to rerezz his lightcycle does not mean they were not knocked off in the first place. That should count as a strike and his team should have been declared the victors.
“Six more new players have just been brought it,” one of the sentries said outside the door.
“Have them prepped,” Kruz barked and nearly kicked open the door. He marched straight up the screen he used to contact his Master Control. He placed his hands on the podium and waited.
“Status report, Kruz,” Master Control said as he appeared on the screen. He was tall and dressed in pure black armor that was covered with a cloak. Glowing red circuitry wove throughout cloak and the armor underneath. He wore a hood with long curving horns on it. His face was pale and eyes were solid black. His teeth appeared sharp.
“The players are finding ways to cheat,” Kruz said. He will make certain those two, that elf and human based warriors will suffer for his humiliation.
“They are?” Master Control asked in an amused tone. He moved unlike any program Kruz had seen. It was more like his substance was liquid.
“Two of them,” Kruz said. “One is in the form of an elf. The other in the form of a human warrior. Now we both know that cheaters never prosper. That’s what I believe. I never need to resort to that petty tactic since I am just well skilled.”
“We should keep a close watch on these two. What were there names?”
“I’m having the information sent to me,” Kruz said and pressed a button. Only a few nanoseconds had passed when one of his sentries ran up to him with an information pad. “The Elf is called Trillident officially, but he also gave the name as Dean and the Human just has one name, Tron.” He tilted his head to the side. “I have heard that name before.”
“You fool,” Master Control growled. “Tron is not mere player. That is the name of the legendary security program. He had destroyed the previous Master Control Program Kilocycles ago.”
“That was long before I was written,” Kruz said.
“You should have studied.”
“Should I have him derezzed?”
“No,” Master Control shook his head. “Wear him out in the games. Once he or his team has lost three games have him brought to me. I will rectify him as I have with the other players who fight for us.”
“By your command,” Kruz said and nodded.
“One more thing. I sense the tricky one is close. Be careful of him.”
“Tricky one? Do not worry even the most tricky programs shall fall in line.”
“Be careful and watch yourself. End of Line.”
-
“Are you certain we can’t get you anything?” The older man asked as Sam and Cas sat down at the conference table. He had introduced himself as Alan Bradley and was head of the board. “We still have plenty of donuts and there is a never ending amount of coffee.”
“We’ve already eaten,” Sam said as he studied the room. Their guide had simply dropped them off once Sam, the other Sam, had given them the okay for them to enter. “I wouldn’t mind a cup of coffee.”
“Just water will be fine,” Cas said. “Thank you.”
“How do you take your coffee, Agent-“
“Forrester,” Sam answered. “And just one sugar will be fine thank you.”
“I know this may seem rude for me jumping in,” Sam Flynn said as he sat down across from them. “But may I ask why we are being investigated?”
“We believe there is connection between your Epic Frontier game and the multitude of people that have gone suddenly missing in the last week,” Cas said. Sam was glad he had toned it down and didn’t mention the demon that was inside their computer system.
Flynn blinked as if Cas had accused him of fathering his child. “You think we have anything to do with it?”
“Everyone who went messing had game accounts,” Alan Bradley said as he set down the beverages in front of Sam and Cas.
“The reports state that each one of the missing individuals retired to their room to play the game,” Sam said as he grabbed his paper cup that claimed it was made out of 100 percent recycled material. “They haven’t been seen since.”
“They were playing the new secret quest,” Cas added.
“We have no idea where this quest came from,” Bradley said as he reached for a cinnamon coated donut. “We think someone who doesn’t work for the company created it and hacked into the game.”
“The quest is unofficial,” Sam said in an understanding tone. He had a feeling it was not part of the original game or a new recent update. He had tried to keep from staring at Mr. Bradley. The man did look like an older version of Tron and sounded like him. He even seemed to be favoring the same kind of donuts the program had enjoyed.
“Several members of the gaming department are trying to figure out the password to get in the game,” Bradley continued. “We are trying to find out the source.”
“You don’t think it’s giving the players a subliminal message?” Flynn asked.
“A message that would cause them to leave their homes?” Sam asked and wrote down just a few random words.
“Why would anyone do that?” Bradley asked and gave the young CEO a strange glance.
Flynn just shrugged. “Yeah I know it sounds crazy.”
“Mr. Flynn,” the receptionist’s voice came through the intercom. “Mr. Reece from gaming is here and he is quite agitated.”
Sam fought back a groan. What had Dean done now?
“Is he willing to say?” Flynn asked.
“He does not like the way the Federal Agents are ordering everyone about or the leeway that Miss Keys is giving them. He had already spoken with Mr. Dillinger about it.”
“Tell him he is going to have to wait,” Flynn said. His mouth was set in a smirk.
“I can assure you my fellow agents are not trying to give anyone a hard time,” Sam said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Bradley said and waved his hand. “We know Reece. He just has a bit of an issue with any kind of authority.” He took a sip from his own coffee. “Now about this case. We want to help you if there is anyway possibly we can help.”
“They were pulled in,” Cas said.
“Come again?” Bradley asked.
“They were pulled into the game,” Cas tried to explain. He had been staring intently at Flynn the whole time. “They are in the system.”
“Pulled into the system?” Flynn’s eyes widened. “How di-“
“Pulled into the game,” Sam said as he tried to cover for the angel. “They were really into the game. I have been told how addicting it is.”
“Of course,” Flynn said in a somewhat relieved tone.
“What about the system?” Bradley asked.
“The system of missing person investigations,” Sam tried to explain. “There is a growing list and we are trying to shrink that number down by finding what had happened to them.” He looked down when he felt something bump against his hand. Cas had passed him a note. “Sam Flynn knows.” Was written on it.
“Of course,” Flynn said and took a sip from his cup.
“Because the other literal meaning is ridiculous,” Sam said and chuckled hoping that it didn’t sound fake. “Being sucked into a computer and being trapped in the system. That is pretty silly idea.”
“Yeah it is,” Flynn said and also chuckled. His laugh seemed real.
“Nobody can get transported through cyberspace,” Sam added.
“Of course,” Bradley said in a confused tone as he stared at the young CEO.
“So ridiculous,” Sam said and stared into the eyes of Flynn to see if he knows what Sam did.
“I believe we get that Agent Forrester,” Bradley said in a stern tone.
“What do you know?” Cas asked as he stood up and placed his hands on the table. He leaned forward. “What do you know about the Grid?”
“Grid?” Bradley asked and stared at Cas as if he was insane.
“How did-“ Flynn started.
“So you do know that those people didn’t just simply go missing,” Sam interrupted. “They were pulled into the digital world.”
“I didn’t know they were,” Flynn said. “How did you know of the digital world and the Grid?”
“Sam, what is going on?” Bradley asked as he stared at Flynn.
“I was there,” Cas said. “I went inside and brought him out.”
“Brought who out?” Flynn asked as he rose to his feet. “Who are you guys?”
“Mr Flynn,” the receptionist’s voice came through again. “Miss Keys is here to—Miss Keys wait.”
The door was kicked open and the young woman that took Dean and Tron down to the gaming department ran inside. There was a frantic look on her face and she was breathing rapidly.
“Sam,” the woman said. “Something grabbed the other agents and pulled them into the computer.”
“Quorra?” Flynn turned to her.
“Dean,” Sam gasped as he rose to his feet.
“There was this blue light and it covered both of them,” the woman continued. “It covered Rinzler because he was holding onto the agent.”
“Wait, Rinzler?” Flynn asked.
“One of the agents was Rinzler. He was here in our world.”
“He’s no longer Rinzler,” Cas said. “He’s Tron.”
“Tron?” Bradley asked. “That was the name of the security program that I wrote nearly thirty years ago. Your father asked if he could take it.”
“Him,” Sam, Cas and Flynn said at the same time.
“How do you know who Tron is?” Flynn turned to him. “And Rinzler.”
“I was the one who brought him out,” Cas explained.
“Are you a program?” Quorra asked.
“No I’m an angel of the lord.”
“An angel?” Quorra asked as her eyes widened. “Like with a halo and wings.”
“He’s being sarcastic,” Flynn told her.
“No he actually is telling the truth about that,” Sam said.
“An angel?” Bradley blinked and took off his glasses. “Sam, what is going on here? First people are being brought into the computer and then programs including one I wrote are jumping out and now there are angels?”
“I have no idea about people being brought in,” Flynn said as he rubbed his temples. “Or angels.” He glared at Sam. “Are you an angel?”
“No,” Sam said. “My real name is Sam Winchester. My friend here is Castiel and something just took my brother into this digital domain.”
“All those missing people,” Quorra said in a sympathetic tone. “They were pulled inside. We have to go in and help them.”
“Wait a second,” Bradley held out both arms. “I want to know what is going on. Where did this start?”
“It started when Luduserus was brought into the system,” Cas said.
“What is a Luduserus?” Bradley asked and shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll find out, what I want to know is how my program came here or more importantly how my program was able to resemble a human.”
“I think we have to go back to the beginning,” Flynn said. “And that’s with my father and the night you, him and Mrs Bradley hacked into ENCOM in 1982. We’ll explain on the way to the laser lab. I have to order everyone to leave for the day.”
“You do that,” Sam said as he headed out the door
“Where are you going?” Flynn asked him.
“To my car. I need to get some supplies.”
“We’ll meet in the lobby,” Flynn told him.
“Just don’t do anything without me,” Sam said as he ran out of the office. He couldn’t believe he was telling anyone that.
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Dean leaned back in his cell. His back was against the complete wall in the back. He didn’t want to miscalculate and end up leaning against one of the borders. He had already tested it to see how powerful it was despite Tron’s protests and poked it with his finger. Yeah, he certainly didn’t want to lean against it.
“Here’s your energy,” one of the sentries was waiting outside with a glass full of blue green liquid.
“As room service,” Dean said as he accepted the glass. “I don’t suppose you can bring me a nice T-bone with a fully loaded baked potato?”
The sentry just stared at him before he moved on to the next cell and handed Tron his glass.
“What is this?” Dean asked as he stared at his glass.
“You’ll feel better after you drink it,” Tron told him. His program companion was in a pissy mood ever since they were brought back to their cells. Dean wasn’t sure if it was because they were trapped, or if was because Tron hadn’t figured out a way to get them and the others out, or the fact that Luduserus had Users working for him, or it could have been a combination of all three.
“Well here is to us finding a way out of here,” Dean said as he held up the glass and took a sip. It had a cool lemon lime flavor to it. It was sweet and refreshing but not too sweet. “This is pretty good.”
“Keeps us healthy,” Tron explained after he had finished drinking half of his glass. “We don’t have food like you do. This was all we had until Flynn was able to process it to take on the shape, texture and flavor of food from your world. Although your User food tastes better than what he had created.”
“All they had,” Dean said before he took another sip. No wonder Tron had preferred the clear citrusy sodas. They tasted almost exactly the same as this Energy. Dean took another drink and noticed his glowing lines grew brighter with each sip. He also did feel better. He didn’t feel tired or hungry. “ Well I’ll be damned.”
“Flynn couldn’t stop drinking when he first tried it,” Tron said with an amused smile on his face. “Ram and I thought we were going to have to drag him away.” His smile faded. “Your remind me of Flynn.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Dean said and finished his glass. Tron always spoke about Flynn with great reverence. “Got any idea on how we are going to get out of here.”
“None,” Tron said, his voice was on edge. “Not from this cell. When we get to the next game I’ll come up with something.”
“I wonder when that will be.” He was about to set the glass down when he noticed several more of the sentries had arrived.
“New game,” one of them said and took the glass.
“I guess it’s showtime,” Dean said as he and Tron stepped out.
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