After having neutralized our first enemy, Dr. Stafford and his AsterGen Corporation, who wanted to capture Quorra, we knew what the government was up to by trying to get to Sam: Obtaining the Grid itself. Quorra recalled having asked Sam about the microchip around his neck, he said it was The Grid. He wanted to keep it away from the hands of humanity, as a secret. Neither ENCOM nor the government had known that The Grid wielded so many secrets as Kevin and Sam saw, and now, something bigger than the CIA is after it.

(At an underground facility, where a secret government group of Proxy soldiers called the "Umbra Proxima" gathered for plans)

Their leader, known as Evron Nacht, summoned a group of about 30 Proxy soldiers to a conference.

-"We have been assigned into many operations before this, gentlemen. The Cold War, remember? Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile Crisis…". Nacht recalled. "Now, we are facing a new mission, not a threat, but this will revolutionize the world as we know it… This will benefit our lives for a long time. This, gentlemen, is: The Grid".

Evron projected an image of the world inside the Grid.

-"This is what was among us for a long time. Re-programmed by ENCOM's ex-CEO Kevin Flynn decades ago. However, there are secrets within it, and it is proven that things can be extracted from that digital world into ours. We can create anything inside it, and bring it out to our world".

Evron changed the image into a picture of Quorra, describing her as "The ISO".

-"An Isomorphic Algorithm. A complex and sudden manifestation of life inside the Grid. According to research, the last ISO is here, on our planet. We could focus on getting the Grid first, then capturing the ISO, or vice-versa. What do you suggest?" He asked.

The soldiers were thinking, and then they began making suggestions.

-"The Grid should be taken as first priority as I believe it is well-placed in custody while the ISO's case is the same yet it is an individual that we could capture in just a while". One of the soldiers suggested.

Nacht stopped to think about his soldier's suggestion.

-"I believe that is truly logic. We should focus on taking over the Grid. It was last downloaded from Flynn's Arcade into a microchip. We traced its position, leading us into Kevin's son: Sam Flynn".

Back to the surface world, I enlisted Quorra into a high school where I told my parents I would stay on. They somehow agreed and sent me a very fair amount of money. However, there were some small problems with her documents because well… she wasn't born in our world, yet she managed to perfectly forge some documents to receive her admission.

First day of school, ah fresh start. Quorra and I were the new guys, nothing out of the usual stuff except that most of the guys seemed to have developed a crush on Quorra, yet she never accepted their "invites", and felt weird when they stared at her. To be honest, I didn't thought she would look at it as something weird, since, she doesn't know about their exact intentions but, I think she knows humans more than what I thought.

-"Joseph… they keep staring at me". Quorra said with a very uncomfortable expression.

-"Looks like they got a crush on you". I explained "You know, they like you, they want to be your boyfriends and… yeah".

-"But I'm already with you". Quorra laughed. "I think they'll miss me".

-"That's my baby". I said as I hugged her. "I love you so much".

We walked into our first class…Chemistry, and from there, things started to get interesting. Quorra was definitely, with no doubt, the SMARTEST one in the whole school. She even annoyed one of the teachers by correcting her a lot of times.

-"Miss. Quorra, would you please let me explain my point? … or would you rather explain it?" The chemistry teacher asked, annoyed.

Quorra didn't know that she was mad at her, so she accepted her offer.

-"Sure, I'll do it". Quorra said with a smile.

She amazed EVERYONE in the class, explaining with perfection everything about hydrocarbons, the way they link, their properties, derivations, and many more things about the topic… even answering questions from the class.

When the class was over, the chemistry teacher stopped to talk to her.

-"Wow, Quorra, I am truly impressed by what you did". The teacher said. "…truly! I am impressed! You totally knew about the topic in detail and still knew how to explain it to the whole class!"

-"Thank you". Quorra giggled. "I… I just explained everything I could, it's nothing, really".

-"Quorra, if you need any help from us, we'll be glad to aid you in any way and… I hope I can also count with your help". The teacher said, smiling at her "prodigy student".

-"Sure, no problem Mrs..…" Quorra stopped, having forgotten the teacher's name.

-"Callahan" The teacher cleared.

-"Mrs. Callahan" Quorra repeated with a smile

They shook hands and Quorra walked out.

Meanwhile, I was outside, waiting for Quorra, and suddenly a group of guys walked closer and then surrounded me.

-"Hey, is the hot, short-haired girl your girlfriend?" One of them asked, smirking.

-"…Yeah, why?" I asked back.

Suddenly, the tallest one of them punched me in the face.

-"Why was that for?" I asked with anger.

The tallest guy took a knife and pointed it at me. I could fight him but that would mean revealing the secret of my augmentations. I had to keep a low profile.

-"Hello retard! My name is Steve and now your girl is mine. Here's how it works you little crap, I get the hot girls and you get the fuck out of my way, or… do you want this sharp knife inside your chest, cutting your flesh?" The bully threatened me.

-"Steve, come on man, I don't think the knife is necessary". One of his accomplices said.

-"Didn't you saw that girl, man?" Steve asked. "Her legs, her curves, and her…Geez, man you should have seen her! She's totally worth a kill!"

I looked up to the bully straight to his eyes and told him:

-"Splitting me from Quorra is impossible. I love her… I will not leave her… not even if you kill me, you useless fucking scum. You can torture me all you want, but losing Quorra is worth a million times more than my own life".

Quorra stepped out to the school's yard and saw me confronting the bullies.

-"Joseph?"

I decided to ignore my augmentations and fight my way out, no matter if I got discovered. I just wanted Quorra to be safe.

-"You will only get her over my rotten flesh!" I screamed as I released myself from the bullies, pulling my arms forward and sending them flying away from me.

Steve swinged his knife against me but I stopped his hand, twitching it until he released the knife and then I punched him on the face, breaking a small part of his cheekbone.

Quorra and I fought the other bullies, dodging their fists and jumping over them, then punching them on their faces, and kicking them off their feet. She fought them all down, then she found herself confronting Steve.

-"You're mine… baby, you're mine". Steve said, grinning with lust.

-"You better don't think about it… I got a boyfriend". Quorra warned.

Steve tried to get closer to her, but she slapped him with huge force, making him fall to the ground.

-"Strong, I like that". Steve said, with a lustful look on his face.

-"Joseph! Need a hand over here!" Quorra exclaimed.

I punched the last bully, and then went to aid Quorra.

Steve stood up…

-"Come on… just let yourself into me". Steve softly said, trying to incite Quorra into loving him.

Quorra attacked him by kicking his face and legs, making him fall to the ground again, but he still persisted, standing up once more.

-"You stubborn hormone-ruled animal!" Quorra exclaimed with anger, punching Steve once more on his face, making him back away and fall.

-"I got it". I said.

I pulled Steve away from Quorra, and then I punched him down.

-"Here are the rules you freaking pile of scum! You DO NOT touch Quorra, you DO NOT mess with Quorra, and most of all, you DO NOT try to split me away from Quorra!" I shouted with anger as I punched his face one last time with a great amount of strength, breaking his cheekbone and knocking him out.

I hugged Quorra, comforting her.

-"You okay, baby?" I asked.

-"I'm alright". She softly confirmed, hugging me back.

A school security guard approached us with a taser. We realized we had attracted quite a lot of attention when we saw a crowd of students looking at us. They cheered at our victory.

-"We were never here, bro". I told the security guard.

Quorra and I ran towards the crowd of students, blending in with other groups of unaware people.

After Math class, the second one in our schedule, Quorra and I explored the campus, walking and talking about how it felt being in school… for Quorra, it was somehow fun and also, classes were easy for her…pretty much because she had read TONS of books during her times in the Grid.

-"You're one awesome nerd you know that?" I said, smiling.

-"Really?" Quorra giggled. "I'm not that of a nerd, I just read a lot of books".

-"How many?" I asked curiously.

-"I don't know, about fifty or more" She said with a thinking face.

-"Geez! I…I can't even finish a book in one day!" I said, amused.

-"I just do it because I love reading" She said. "You should try reading a book by Jules Verne one day, he's my favorite. I've also read books from Isaac Asimov, James Burke, and Forrest Ackerman. I don't have any dislike for any kinds of books, I just love reading, but I do love certain writers more than others… ahh Verne, he's just… awesome".

-"I better start reading some more, I'm feeling like an ignorant". I said.

-"Oh no no! You're not ignorant! Actually, you know about this world more than I do". She said, trying to comfort me.

-"Aw Quorra… thank you". I smiled.

Suddenly at a lonely part of the campus, we saw a group of three guys kicking… something; we just couldn't see what it was… until I saw a leg sticking out of the group. It was a defenseless guy being kicked mercilessly by a group of bullies… laughing at his pain…even with his shirt covered in blood they did not felt any regret.

-"Why are they kicking him! Joseph!" Quorra asked, shocked by the violent scene.

I began remembering a few things about my past… I was also bullied, and I couldn't let that happen to someone else… If we want to change this world, we have to do it by ourselves.

-"You bastards! Get away from him!" I shouted at the bullies.

-"Joseph! Hold on! We might get discovered!" Quorra warned.

-"They already saw who we really are!" I said. "Quorra… please, maybe this is not as big as those scientists back at AsterGen, but every single life counts".

Quorra hesitated…then she said in agreement:

-"…You take the one on the left".

-"Yes, Madame". I smiled.

We both ran towards the bullies, I pulled one of them away and punched the other one on his face while Quorra grabbed the third one from his neck.

-"Gotcha!" I exclaimed with anger, and then I threw them forward. One of them stood up to fight me. I dodged his fists and punched him back on the face, making him back off. He tried to grab my neck but I hit his hand before it reached me, then I punched him back, spilling a little amount of his blood and knocking him out.

Quorra finished off the third bully, punching him on the belly, and then hitting him twice on the face. She placed her foot on his faced and kicked him back spilling some blood and making him fall.

Then we went to help the victim. He seemed… he didn't move… he seemed…dead.

-"Dude? Wake up, bro… come on" Quorra said, trying to wake up the wounded student.

-"No…no, no no no no! Fuck!" I shouted on top of lungs.

I picked up one of the bullies by the shirt.

-"SEE WHAT YOU DID TO HIM! COME ON! LOOK AT HIM!" I ordered with anger, forcing the bully's head into looking at his victim.

-"Let me go, man!" The bully demanded.

-"You looked at his blood being spilled, and you didn't even felt sorry! You fucking smiled at his pain! YOU SAVAGE PIECE OF…GAAAAAH!" I screamed as I punched the bully on the face.

I threw him to the floor and kept punching him… I punched him harder and harder… I couldn't hold back the tears from my anger, and then Quorra grabbed my arms and pulled them back, stopping my fists from punching him once more. I kept screaming things at him with a snarling face.

-"Joseph! Joseph! … baby look at me, come on… look at me". Quorra softly said. "It's over… it's okay now. It's okay".

I placed my hand over the back of her head, caressing her hair and pressing my forehead with hers, crying my anger out, then shutting my eyes…

-"Why? Quorra". I asked, crying.

-"Why what?" She asked back.

-"Why do people act like… such animals? Why do people HURT each other, Quorra?". I asked, crying.

-"Once, somebody I trust told me that it was human nature… and I promised him to make his dream come true… his dream of changing this world into something better, his dream of cleaning this human nature". Quorra whispered to my ear. "Joseph… I'm here with you. We are both changing this world no matter how much it hurts".

I tried to stop my tears for a while…

-"Thank you so much, Quorra". I smiled, wiping my tears away. "Always together".

I kissed Quorra and smiled at her with tears on my eyes.

-"Always together" She said with a smile.

Suddenly, we heard a groan. It was the victim, waking up.

-"Joseph, he's alive!" Quorra said with relief.

-"Come on, we better help him up". I said.

We placed his arms around our necks and helped him stand up and walk…

-"Can you walk?" I asked.

-"Sure, I'm… ugh! I'm just pretty damn hurt from my waist upwards". The boy explained.

Then, we reached the main courtyard and everybody looked at us, helping the wounded student walk to the nurse's office.

-"We need a nurse over here!" Quorra shouted.

A girl called one of the school's nurses.

-"You'll be fine, my friend. I promise". I softly told the victim.

The boy waved goodbye at us as he was being carried to the office. Suddenly, a school guard wanted to arrest us. The students in the courtyard booed him… then I resisted his arrest by grabbing his neck.

-"You blame what you don't know! … You're blaming the WRONG guy! Don't you believe me? LOOK IN THAT PLACE! THERE THEY ARE! THE GUILTY ONES!" I exclaimed, pointing at the small empty yard where we fought the bullies.

Everyone looked there… and there they were, the bullies… walking out slowly to ease the pain from their wounds. We were in front of them and walked away with a threatening look.

We were somehow considered the heads of the school, after the fight that broke out with Steve and his group, and after having saved the bully victim.

However, later, after having taken all classes, we sneaked into the offices, searching for our registration documents, and erasing all data about us, to appear like if we were never there and avoid causing suspicions that could endanger our secret augmentations. It didn't matter as Quorra could homeschool me, yet, dropping out of school wasn't a problem for us… we were on a vacation to change the world.

At night, Sam Flynn was riding his Ducati motorcycle around the nighttime streets of Los Angeles… looking at the buildings, the lights, a typical night in the city, until a car tried to run over him, making him fall off his ride…

-"What the…"

Evron Nacht walked out of the black van that tried to run over Sam, disguised and identifying himself as an FBI agent.

-"Sam Flynn… finally" Evron said. "FBI, you're coming with us. Guys, take his motorcycle too".

Evron and his disguised soldiers took Sam to their secret hideout, planning to interrogate him to find the location of the microchip containing the Grid.

-"I don't know where it is! I buried it so nobody could find it anymore" Sam answered.

-"You didn't bury it, Sam! We know that you needed the Grid to create a new system and to preserve your dad's memories!" The interrogator applied pressure on Sam.

-"I buried it! Right in front of my home and deep in the ground!" Sam specified.

-"Good, Sam… guys…let's find the microchip". Evron ordered.

They left Sam in custody with a guard inside the interrogation room, and other guards patrolling the Umbra Proxima's secret hideout. He, of course, decided to escape, and out of adrenaline, he took down the guard in the room with his own fists, and then took a gun out of the guard's pocket, and quietly took down the other guards and cameras.

Meanwhile, at my apartment, Quorra and I were playing some Halo: Reach on my Xbox 360. For a beginner, Quorra was very skilled. She didn't just run and gunned, she took cover, and planned her maneuvers… it was somehow, amazing for me.

-"Joseph… I got a doubt about these games". Quorra said.

-"Sure, you can ask me". I said.

-"Do these… Spartans…get derezzed forever?" She asked with a serious face.

-"No! no, they don't… you see, they respawn when they die in the game.. Somehow they never die." I explained. "Besides, they were modeled by programmers and voiced by actors. I don't think they have any real emotions in there like programs do inside the game grid".

-"Maybe they do have feelings and… you may have not realized because you haven't been inside there". Quorra inferred. "Programs inside the game grid were also modeled, yet not voiced but somehow after getting a lot of information from the Users… they become…intelligent."

I stopped to think about what Quorra said…

-"…Maybe you're right". I said, thinking about Quorra's idea.

Then, the phone began to ring,

-"Hold on a second, Q".

…and I answered.

-"Hello?"

-"Joseph, it's Sam. Listen…there's this FBI group searching for the Grid. I lied telling them that I buried it near my home. I bet they know where is it… they didn't even asked for my address". Sam explained, with a slightly agitated tone.

-"Okay, just tell me where are you and we'll pick you up, man. Just stay calm". I said.

-"Stay calm? How can I be calm when these guys want The Grid! Dad's creation! The Government, Joseph... the Government wants The Grid for their benefit just like they want Quorra! I'm SURE about that" Sam said desperately. "Listen, here's where you have to go…"

Sam indicated and described the place where he was being held on and what he saw as he was being taken to there in a van.

-"…it looks like a warehouse from outside, but inside… it's a whole different thing". He described.

-"…Shit. I'm coming Sam! Hang on!" I said, then I hung up.

-"Quorra… we're moving". I said as I morphed my lightsuit on.

-"Why? What's going on?" She asked.

-"Sam's in trouble. I don't know what's going on but… the Government is trying to find The Grid". I explained. "Probably… they could be after you, too".

Quorra and I geared up. Rifles, our light discs, lightswords, lightcycle and lightjet-ready batons, frag grenades, lightshields, and another baton made especially for the lightchopper.

Quorra gave me a small communication device which was a small earbud with a very small but powerful microphone on its outer end.

We traveled on our lightcycles around the outskirts of Los Angeles. Sam mentioned that it was a warehouse almost outside the city.

Meanwhile, Sam sneaked around the secret Umbra Proxima hideout, trying to find a way to signal us, then he found a bunch of propane tanks on the edge of some kind of supply room he went into.

-"Can't believe these guys didn't saw the microchip on my necklace. Now…I gotta find my Ducati". He said to himself.

After a couple of hours, Quorra and I we found the warehouse. It seemed empty and lonely from outside… but inside…

-"Quorra, stay close". I adviced.

-"Got it".

We got closer to the perimeter but Quorra noticed something before stepping closer.

-"Turrets on the top. Hold". She ordered.

-"Damn… close call". I whispered.

-"Keep walking, but do it…slowly" She advised.

We both walked and suddenly, a truck full of propane came out with no driver, then Sam rode his motorcycle outside the door with a propane tank on his hand, then he threw it to the truck and made the bunch of tanks explode. I protected Quorra from the explosion.

-"Glad you made it, guys". Sam told us.

-"Sam! You're alright". I said, greeting him.

-"Thanks dude. Always countin' on ya'". He said smiling.

-"Sam… you're here". Quorra greeted him with a smile.

-"Quorra… long time". He said, hugging her. "Thank God, you're okay".

I saw a sniper in one of the warehouse's small windows, and his red dot laser over Sam's head.

-"SAM!"

I tackled Sam down along with Quorra, pushing them to a wall and saving them from the sniper.

-"Sniper. Sam… you alright?" I asked.

-"Yeah… thanks. I'm alright". He confirmed.

-"We better get to a safe place". Quorra advised.

-"Hold… I'll give these guys a message". I said.

I activated my lightchopper, and flew over the warehouse/hideout. I shot the snipers and turrets around it, then I destroyed a section of the hideout.

After that, I deactivated the lightchopper and went back with Quorra and Sam.

-"We better get moving. Sam, where's the chip?". I asked.

-"Here, on my neck". He said.

-"Damn nice place to hide a whole world". I said sarcastically.

-"Well, I don't think people will look at a necklace expecting to find a revolutionary key to another world" Sam answered.

-"You got a point there, man". I said, laughing.

-"Dammit, guys! Let's go!". Quorra hurried us.

We activated our lightcycles and Quorra gave a baton to Sam which was actually another lightcycle.

-"Come on, man, you thought I wasn't gonna bring one for you?" Quorra smiled.

We escaped from the Umbra Proxima's hideout.

Quorra explained to us that she had improved the lightcycles by adding a function allowing them to look like normal motorcycles.

Later...

Quorra, Sam and I went into hiding in my apartment. Quorra was in my room while I was talking to Sam in private on the rooftop.

-"Sam… I love Quorra so much, and all but… why did you left her with me, while she could be with you… the one who saved her from The Grid?" I asked.

-"Joseph… this life is not only love for me. Besides, Quorra will be safer with you, I know that. I knew you would fall in love with her. I know that you would do anything to protect her…even give your own blood. Joseph, I didn't leave her just because I wanted her safe with another guy… I took my time to think where to leave her in safety… I just couldn't leave her just like that. Quorra is more than what you might think, and you Joseph, I know your desire to change the world for greater good. Two similar ideas from you two would change this world". Sam explained his purposes.

-"She changed my life…drastically. When she stepped inside my apartment, I felt something for her instantly. I may have taught her a little about my world but… she taught me about how a world without violence could perceive these atrocities like people killing each other. That night when she cried after watching those violent videos… it just pierced my heart". I explained. "Why did you choose me, Sam?"

-"Because you know better than I do, that our world is sinking. You needed somebody with a pure and clean mind, somebody that could aid you in your journey. Trust me, sooner or later, all of this was going to happen no matter where you were". Sam explained. "I truly trust your word about protecting and loving Quorra…with all your heart".

-"Sam… thank you so much, brother. Thank you for having brought Quorra to me, and again, I promise I will take care of her…and love her for the rest of my life". I said smiling, as I gave a friendly hug to Sam.

We were both looking at the nighttime city from my apartment's rooftop, talking about how life has been with Quorra…

-"Why didn't you get any augmentations? Did Quorra ever told you about them?" I asked.

-"I do have the augmentations". Sam cleared "Months after having escaped the Grid, Quorra had already developed a laboratory below ENCOM, The place where you got yours. Ironically, not even ENCOM knows about it. I've been drawing the attention away from that place".

-"How was her face when you showed her Ireland?" Sam asked out of curiosity.

-"Man, it was beautiful. Her eyes shining with joy, her smile was…priceless. I felt a warm feeling in my chest when I saw her happiness". I said, recalling the time when I took Quorra into Ireland.

-"You truly love her so much, don't you?" Sam asked with a small grin.

-"Yeah. Why do you say so?" I asked.

-"The way you look away when you're describing her, and that… change of tone in your voice when you mention her… that really gives away the love you have for her". He explained.

I thought about the time when Quorra was captured by AsterGen…and blamed it on myself, eventually confessing him about the incident in a very tense tone.

-"Sam… I have to tell you something. Quorra was captured by AsterGen… they got her away from my hands... They… I'm sorry Sam but, as much as I want her I…"

…and then Sam interrupted me.

-"Joseph! Joseph… calm down. I know about that already. Let's remember… did you rescue her?" He asked.

-"Yeah". I answered.

-"Even though you risked your life, you still went for her… you even killed Dr. Stafford! That damn AsterGen lunatic!" Sam said, cheering me up. "In love, you are capable of overcoming your limits for that special person".

-"Wow" I gasped, thinking about his words. "Where did you learn that from?" I asked.

-"My father" He whispered. "He told me, long ago".

-"Wow…" I gasped.

-"Quorra was meant to be with you. Life always does things to put them slowly in the right place…doesn't it?" He explained.

-"…Yeah, I guess". I agreed.

-"Quorra is at the right place, with you. Never doubt it, alright?" He said, in a serious firm tone.

-"I promise" I said, shaking Sam's hand.

Then, I thought about Quorra…

-"I wonder what Quorra's doing…" I asked.

Sam and I went back into my room, where we found Quorra sleeping.

-"Look at her, Sam. She's… wow… so beautiful". I gasped.

I placed a blanket on Quorra and turned the lights off, only leaving a lamp turned on.

-"Goodnight, love". I whispered, kissing Quorra gently on her forehead.

Meanwhile, The Umbra Proxima soldiers were at Sam's home, trying to find the Grid…yet they got nothing.

-"That… SCUM! He fooled us!" Evron shouted in anger.

He went to search inside Sam's house, and looked around for the chip, making a mess.

-"DAMMIT!" Evron screamed. "Anybody got anything?"

-"Negative sir", All soldiers said , one after the other.

Suddenly, Evron got a transmission from the raided Umbra Proxima hideout.

-"Sir, I think we found the Grid" The guard said. "Sam Flynn was caught by a camera revealing the location of the chip, apparently, it's on his necklace".

-"What were his exact words?" Evron asked.

The guard replayed the recorded video and transmitted the audio to Evron

"Can't believe these guys didn't saw the microchip on my necklace. Now…I gotta find my Ducati"

-"I'm coming for you, kid", Evron smirked. "Gentlemen, looks like we found our Grid".

Part 2 Starts here

Sam and I went back to the rooftop to talk some more. I explained to him many things about how I see my future with Quorra.

-"Do you plan to marry her?" Sam asked.

-"Honestly, I do" I said, grinning and blushing.

-"I wonder how your babies are gonna be, man" Sam said jokingly.

-"Geez! Hahaha!"

Suddenly, Quorra pushed us from the rooftop while she jumped down with us. Before falling, she activated a 3-passenger lightjet.

-"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" I asked tensely.

-"Those aren't FBI agents". Quorra said.

I looked up and saw a helicopter that had fired at the rooftop.

-"How come I didn't saw that!" I exclaimed.

Quorra flew the lightjet away. Evron and his forces chased us in their own helicopters.

-"On the turret, Sam!" Quorra ordered.

-"On it!". Sam said.

He got on the turret and fired against the helicopters, successfully taking one down.

-"One down!" Sam cheered.

-"Six to go…" Quorra said.

I stood up from my seat and opened a hatch on the lightjet's ceiling.

-"Joseph! Are you trying to get killed!" She exclaimed.

-"I'm trying to get you NOT killed!" I answered.

I took my head out of the lightjet from a hatch on its ceiling, then I aimed my sniper rifle to a helicopter's cockpit, then I shot a pilot's head, splattering his blood on his front window.

-"Down!" I shouted.

I took cover after one of the helicopters shot the jet's hull, but suddenly a beeping sound was heard inside the jet.

-"We're not going down are we?" I asked.

-"… Not your day, man". Sam said, affirming that we were falling.

-"Hang on! Brace for impact!" Quorra warned.

The plane shook hard, and then we crashed down.

After a few minutes, Quorra, Sam and I were on the floor… the asphalt. The lightjet had derezzed and deactivated itself. I woke up… I saw Sam lying on one side and Quorra on the other.

-"Quorra? Sam?" I gasped. "Quorra! Sam!".

They did not wake up… I was practically alone. I saw how Evron and his henchmen walked closer to us. I took my rifle and aimed as a last resort. I wouldn't just give myself up without putting up a fight. I shot…and shot… and shot…I kept shooting at them… until I heard that click…THAT click that gave my hopes up. I was out of ammo…

-"Take the chip…and the ISO". Evron ordered.

-"You're not taking Quorra" I whispered.

I crawled towards Quorra… caressing her face. My tears fell over her cheeks… running down…

-"I'm sorry, baby… I tried" I whispered to her. "I swear I tried, Quorra. I tried."

Evron kicked me once on my rib.

-"Get away from the ISO!" Evron ordered.

-"NO!" I screamed with all the power of my lungs.

Evron and his soldiers tried to pull me away from Quorra, but I held her tight. I screamed and tried to hold Quorra closer to me. Other soldiers took the Grid away from Sam's necklace, but they were putting an effort on separating me from Quorra. They couldn't shoot because they did not want to hurt her and risk their plans.

Suddenly, Sam woke up and shot one of the soldiers, attracting their attention. Evron was still trying to pull me away. I tried to take Quorra's light disc but I couldn't reach it… suddenly, Quorra opened her eyes and pushed me down, then she attacked Evron with her lightdisc, shoving him back.

-"…Leave them alone". Quorra ordered.

-"Well look who it is, the ISO". Evron said, smirking.

-"My name is Quorra". She said.

-"What do you want from her!" I asked.

-"Her capabilities. We would rectify her to serve the nation… and to take us to a new generation". Evron explained.

-"Who are you?" Sam asked.

-"Umbra Proxima. We work for our government to improve it and to maintain order in our nation. My name is Evron Nacht, Leader of this order-keeping group" Evron answered. "Come here, Quorra… come here where you belong and help us build a better future".

-"You're only getting my dead circuitry!" Quorra screamed.

Sam, Quorra and I fought the Umbra Proxima soldiers.

-"You condemned your people to fall…but we will save them from you". I said.

-"Take the chip back to base!" Evron ordered to one of his henchmen as he handed him Sam's chip.

We used our guns, fists, swords and lightdiscs against them. Out of anger, I chopped a soldier's chest with my lightdisc, then sliced another's neck, and went on along with Quorra and Sam, fighting the soldiers down. Quorra punching them down, choking them and snapping their necks while Sam punched and shot them, then stabbed the remaining ones with a lightsword. They had swords, knives and guns. 4 of the 10 soldiers, including Evron and the soldier who went back to his base, survived.

After the tiring battle, Evron fell on his right knee, tired.

-"You could just give up! Evron! The government is just using you as a puppet!" I persuaded.

-"The government is what keeps us standing! You blame your superiors based on jealousy!" Evron shouted.

-"They are NOT my superiors. I don't accept any power-hungry animal as my superior. They are not wise as you think! They're USING you and they will later dispose of you like a paper!" I insistently persuaded.

-"You're BLIND! You're deaf! You don't know what you're talking about!" Evron insisted, ignoring my words.

He crawled and stood up, then went back onto his helicopter and left.

Quorra, Sam and I stood up.

-"He's got the Grid!" Sam exclaimed.

-"Follow his chopper!" I advised.

We rezzed our lightcycles, turned off their glowing circuitry, and followed him stealthily by land. We hid behind alleys, buildings, bridges, anything, but still, we kept tracking him.

…Until we saw him entering through a very unnoticeable place at the outskirts of Los Angeles: an apparently locked up and buried manhole which led to a web of tunnels. We patiently waited a while until he went in, then we went after him.

-"Alright, guys. Keep it calm…anybody brought any bombs?" Sam asked.

-"Ugh… I think we left 'em home". I said.

-"We don't need explosives…just our minds." Quorra said.

-"Very well said. Good luck" I said as I kissed Quorra. "Good luck to you too, Sam". I told him as I shook his hand.

-"Good luck to you too, man". Sam said as he shook my shoulder.

We ran through the tunnels. Using our communications devices, we informed each other on what we saw. At first, just dirty walls, but then, we saw blue lights, and vault doors.

-"Anybody's stuck behind a thick door?" I asked.

-"Me". Sam said. "I hate these doors."

-"Me too. Anybody got any ideas?" Quorra asked.

-"You guys got your lightdiscs with you?" Sam asked.

-"Yeah." Quorra answered.

-"Let me try" Sam said.

He, using his previously implanted augmentations, morphed his lightsuit.

-"Ugh. Morphing was a bit buggy. Maybe some fixing at your lab will improve these old rusty augmentations, Quorra."

-"I'll keep that in mind." Quorra answered.

-"Okay, what was the plan?" I asked.

-"Use your discs to chop the door's locking bars". Sam suggested.

-"Quorra, now I got a question, how do these lightdiscs work?" I asked, out of curiosity.

-"A laser trapped in a thin glass. The glass morphs in a thicker state depending on where the user places his or her hand on the disc." Quorra explained.

-"Guys, they have the Grid! Save any questions for later!" Sam insisted.

We slowly sliced the doors with our lightdiscs.

-"Get in! Move!" I whispered.

As I went in, my adrenaline was in high levels. A guard tried to grab me from my neck but I sliced his arm off, then I sliced him out. The guards came after me, one by one, I sliced them. I felt fear, from the cold place, and Evron sitting on his chair, behind a long glass table, just like he had planned my entrance. I kept neutralizing the soldiers, but suddenly, between the battle, Evron had left his chair. After I took down half of his men, I saw him behind me, injecting me a blue substance into my neck… then I fell unconscious.

After a while, Sam was brought by Evron's men, who tied him up into the wall with a metallic silver belt, just like I found myself when I woke up. Then Quorra was brought into the same room, Sam was still unconscious but I was waking up… they attached Quorra into a wall with blue squares behind it. Her arms were trapped by many chains attached to the wall.

-"Rectify her." Evron ordered.

-"Joseph! Joseph, wake up! WAKE UP!" Quorra screamed in desperation.

I opened my eyes, and I looked at her. My heart was completely broken, as I helplessly watched her about to be rectified. I remembered that day at the park when I first went out with her, the trip to Ireland, that night…that intimate night together, our kisses, our hugs...it was just… so heartbreaking.

Suddenly, she began to scream as the blue panels behind her became red. They were slowly rectifying her.

-"QUORRA! Come on! You have to resist it! You're half human!" I desperately said.

Her circuitry began turning red, dark red just like the color of blood.

-"NO! EVRON! LET HER GO! YOUR GOVERNMENT IS USING YOU! They will kill you as soon as you complete their purpose!" I shouted.

-"You liar! How you dare talk like that to your leaders? RESPECT THEM" Evron ordered.

I began to slam my back to let my lightdisc fall and chop off the metallic belt that was holding me. I had only one chance but there was no other option. I slammed my back with the wall in desperation, until it fell, and made a cut through the metallic belt.

-"EVRON!" I shouted and tackled him out of anger.

I took my lightdisc and tried to kill him but he stopped my hand with his. I slowly pushed my disc frontwards to Evron's face.

-"You…will not…take Quorra!" I screamed in anger.

He kicked me away, stood up and approached me.

-"You will not take my ISO!" Evron shouted.

His guards attacked me but out of anger and adrenaline, I sliced, punched, kicked and neutralized them. I saw how Quorra was getting rectified but her circuitry suddenly began to turn back to blue. I began feeling relief, at knowing that she was overcoming rectification. I kept fighting off the guards until it was only just Evron and me.

-"Bring it, you government slave!" I taunted.

-"Be fair. Fist to fist, no disc" He said.

I placed the disc on my back and raised my fists. I punched Evron in the face and he punched me back on my stomach, then I kept aiming for his head, but he punched me once again, so hard that he left me out of breath. I stood up again, but he punched me on my head. I heard this "beep" sound ringing inside my ears. I became dizzy, and then I fell… I gave my last efforts to stand up, but the last thing I saw...were Quorra's eyes.

Then, Evron walked towards Quorra and pressed her against the rectifier.

-"You will serve me. You will serve my nation." He whispered to Quorra and smirked.

-"You and your corrupt government will fall, even if you rectify me!" Quorra shouted.

I woke up on the cold floor, and looked up. Evron was taunting Quorra. I couldn't listen as I was waking up from unconsciousness, but then he slapped her. My blood boiled with anger and I felt heat around my body, then I stood up and ran towards Evron, and punched him fiercely on his head, making him fall. I punched him repetitively, breaking his left cheekbone.

-"HOW DO YOU DARE MISTREAT HER!" I screamed.

Evron took a gun, about to fire at me, but I grabbed my lightdisc and threw it against him, cutting off his right arm and making him drop his gun. He screamed in pain but my anger was so intense that I did not felt any regret. I repeatedly sliced his chest superficially with my disc and finally stood up and looked at him.

-"The government would have killed you, but now I'm making you a favor" I whispered with a grim voice.

Evron lied down on the floor and closed his eyes… He died.

I went up to Quorra. She was unconscious. I chopped off the chains that were holding her and she fell on my arms. Her head lying on my lap. I caressed her hair. I couldn't fight back the tears, I just cried…

-"Come on. You'll be fine. You'll be okay." I said, trying not to lose hope.

Her circuitry suddenly shut down…

-"Quorra? Quorra? No. No! Quorra! Come on!" I screamed. "NO! QUORRA! Wake up! QUORRA!".

I lost all hope. She did not open her eyes. I cried my heart out, remembering what we went through together. I cried and shut my eyes with force, trying to hold my tears, but that was impossible. I felt so much pain. I felt my body becoming cold without her. I kissed her once more, and cried, but I didn't break the kiss…until… she locked her lips with mine. I felt her hand over my hair once more.

-"Quorra?" I gasped as I looked at her directly to her eyes.

-"It's me, Joseph. I kept my promise". She whispered.

I smiled, wiping my tears out.

-"I thought you were…"

-"Derezzed?" She asked with a smile.

I hugged her tight. Her circuitry lighted back on and kissed her passionately. I felt a warm sensation, taking off the cold feeling of loneliness and darkness on my body. I kissed her forehead and kept hugging her.

-"Wow. Love between a human and an ISO. Amazing". Evron whispered.

I stood up and took my lightdisc.

-"Can't you die already!" I shouted with anger.

I was about to throw my lightdisc at him.

-"NO! No! Spare my life! Spare MY LIFE!" Evron shouted.

-"You were about to kill Quorra! Why should I spare your fucking worthless life!" I asked, angered. "I will rip your limbs off!"

-"…I am not as evil as you may think". Evron said softly as he covered his face with his only arm.

I was surprised and stopped my attack. He was a member of a secret government group who wouldn't stop at anything, but somehow, we lighted up a little spark of goodness in him.

-"I had a wife…I had kids, but I was kidnapped when I was 25 years old. They made me abide the rules, treated me as a slave. The president even humiliated me once in front of all the council after I questioned his authority. I decided to prove him that I am better than him. I created this group to serve him. I had no other choice but to leave my family and feelings away, and concentrate on my work. " Evron explained. "I never saw a true demonstration of love since that last day I saw my family. I never saw love, until I saw you both right now"

I looked at Quorra.

-"No. What if you're tricking us just so when we turn our backs you get the opportunity to kill us!" I asked.

-"Joseph, I don't think he's lying" Quorra said.

Evron took a photo of his wife and his three children.

-"I keep this to remind myself that one day, I will prove myself better than the government, and that I will get back with my kids. David, Mariah and Amy". He said with a very sad face. "I am sorry for what I've put you through. The government gave me strict orders to capture you, but I guess I am just feeding the beast when I abide their ruling."

-"You are, Evron. If you consider it, and leave this corrupt and evil government of yours, you will be free, and you will be able to see your family" I offered.

-"I… but they are my only way to get to them!" Evron said.

-"They're not. We are freeing this world from them. Not only this country's government, all of them! Cuban, Korean, Chinese, Mexican, among others… All of them are leading their own nations into darkness. Economic crisis, wars… all of those things will be over."

Suddenly, Evron received a call and answered.

-"Hello?"

-"You betrayed us, Nacht. You gave in into your feelings and disobeyed our orders." A deep voice said through his phone.

-"Yes! I DID! Just like you did long ago!" Evron shouted with anger. "You, President Thomas Valentine! YOU ENSLAVED ME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!"

Evron ran towards a computer and plugged a needle-like cable on the back of his head. Then he typed a code on his computer, freeing Sam.

-"Ugh… where am I?" Sam asked as he woke up.

-"Run! Don't let them get you!" Evron shouted.

-"Evron! Come with us!" I told him.

-"My damaged body won't last any longer. I will go with you, digitally. I will find my family." He said as he pushed a button. He received an electric discharge on his head and fainted.

-"Evron?" I shouted, wondering what happened to him.

-"I am inside the system. Keep running. Be free" Evron spoke through his headquarters' speakers. "Take your microchip, Sam. It's on the table."

Sam took the microchip that contained the Grid.

-"Time to move!" Quorra exclaimed.

We escaped out of the headquarters. Evron opened the doors for us by accessing in his own security system.

We kept running until we saw the manhole up the tunnel. We climbed out and sealed the path and glared at the sunshine. We felt freedom, like if we had been underground for years even when it was only for hours. We looked at the sun, and took deep breaths, inhaling the fresh oxygen from the surface. Suddenly, the ground shook a little. Evron had destroyed his headquarters.

We smiled but did not spoke a word until we reached home.

Sam waved and left to his home, while Quorra and I entered ours, and after a moment of silence, she spoke.

-"You okay?" She asked me

-"…I don't know." I sighed.

I kept remembering how I felt when Quorra was being rectified…and when I thought I had lost her. I felt the cold sensation… that sensation that burned my heart down. It was painful…

-"Quorra… promise me, that you'll take care when we go out on a mission." I requested.

-"I promise you that with all my heart" She said.

I smiled and kissed her. Her love made me feel back home, and returned that warm sensation to my body and heart. I went out of this world every time our lips locked together.

-"Where do you want me to take you next, baby?" I asked her.

She took a necklace out of her pocket. It was The Grid.

-"Out of this world" She answered as she kissed me back.

But what I didn't realize about that response is that she meant it…literally. Our next destiny… was space, yet, I didn't realized what was running on Quorra's mind with that idea.