Chapter 1

For nearly one year they had the same old rutine of doing their jobs during the game hours, staying in character for not giving the reality of their own existence as autonomous characters.

For nearly one year they spended all those hours without seeing each other, waiting for the working hours to end so they will see each other again.

For nearly one year, and at the moment the Arcade closed, both of them came out rapidly of their consoles to look out for the other, and when they met again, it was always the same. Because for nearly one year they were together, and the feeling they have the moment they see each other again never losed its intensity.

Fix-It Felix and Sgt. Calhoun remaind looking at each other in the distance for five minutes, each one outside their game's portal, with the whole Central Game Station between them.

After those five minutes passed, they started to walk slowly towards each other.

- Sergeant! Sergeeeaaant!
- Ahj! What, Markowski!? – yelled Calhoun exasperated, and turning around to see her soldier running fast to catch her.
- Sergeant! We've got two dozens of cy-bugs on the loose, and they're attacking the military Center.
- How the hell that happened!? It was ten minutes when we just finished the round of recognition!
- We really... don't know... ma'am... – said the poor soldier, trembling under the woman's stare.

Calhoun let out a sigh and turned around to see her husband worriedly, who also stopped his advance. Understanding her look perfectly, Felix gave her a nod with a little smile, so she could understand that it was ok, that she had to go and do her duty.

Returning the smile, Calhoun grabbed forcefully the soldier's army and dragged him back to Hero's Duty.

It couldn't fool anyone; Felix was disappointed of not being with his wife. But after all that occured the last year in Sugar Rush, it was understandable that all the members of Hero's Duty looked out for avoiding that to happen again.

That little pause gave him time to visit a new friend he met when the game was pluged in a few months ago. Entering Tapper's, Felix found the person he was looking for, and sat beside him.

- How's everything, Fix?
- Great. How about you, Tron?
- Oh, excelent! Never better!

Tron was one character of the Tron Eternity game, probably the most prestigious game of the whole Arcade, because it had a Wi-Fi connection, letting him be the character with the biggest knowledge about consoles. Felix made friends with him isntantly, for Tron felt a certain fascination towards the vintage game of Fix-It Felix Jr.

- Have you figured out something of what I asked you? – asked the handyman.
- Yes, of course. It seems there is an Arcade at Colorado where there is a Hero's Duty too. It never occured any catastrophe like here, but the Clu from there said he had created like a barrier or something that contained all the cy-bugs after game hours. The space marines are quite calmed and happy with that.
- And do you think you could do the same thing here? – exclaimed Felix hopefully.
- Of course we can, Fix! Clu is right now talking with Colorado to ask them the modification code. He could encode the game tonight, and the cy-bugs will never be a problem for us.
- That's fantastic, Tron! Oh, Tammy's gonna be so happy!

The programmer Tron smiled happily, but started to fidget about telling the handyman the little discoverment he and Clu had a few weeks ago.

- Are you alright, Tron?
- Fix... There's something I have to tell you, but you can't tell anyone else – whispered Tron, receiving his friend's confirmation of secrecy with a nod -. A few days ago, me and Clu realized something that could change the life of everyone at the Arcade.
- And it's something wrong?
- No, on the contrary! – said Tron excited, but his face returned to a worried expression -. We all know that if we die inside our game, we can respawn instantly. But if we die outside our game, we are defenitely dead, finito. Game Over.
- What are you trying to tell, Tron? Is something wrong between you and Clu?
- Nah, everything's fine. He will be the villain of my game, but you know very well we're friends. More than that. We are brothers, just like you and Ralph – said blithely the programmer.
- So, what's your point then? – asked Felix, keeping a tone of confidentiality with his friend.
- There is a way of avoiding the Game Over. Or at least temporarily. Do you know the central game processor thats on the Station? – he asked, receiven an affirmative expression from the handyman -. Well, with the right encoding, the characters could avoid the permanent death inside other games by using the lifes that remained inside their consoles after game hour. Those that haven't been used by the players.
- It could really be done? – asked Felix with wonderment.
- But if your lifes are all waisted, then it is Game Over for you. But it is an opportunity for all us to avoid any catastrophe, don't you think?
- But... But thats great, Tron! If you and Clu could...!
- That's the proble, Felix – interrupted Tron -. Neither Clu or I know how to do it. We know the code, yes – he said, writing him the chain of numbers on a Tapper's napkin -, but we don't know how to introduce it inside the processor. It's very risky. We could end up resetting forcefully all the games. And if that happens and the characters are not inside their consoles... Well, the consequences would be terrible, you see?

The programmer's concern was evident, so Felix put a hand on his shoulder to give him encouragement.

- The idea is amazing, Tron – said the handyman softly -, and I'm pretty sure that one day it could be done.
- Hey, Littleman!

Felix had to endure an irritated expresion in his face when the nickname was told. He turned around to see the entire squadron of Hero's Duty sitting and drinking beer at the other side of Tapper's, laughing strong at him.

- The sergeant went out some time ago, she said she'll find you at your game! Better not make her wait, pal!

Felix trembled out of rage at the marines' laugh crisis, but he got calmed when Tron told him not to pay them any attention.

- There are a lot of people who are jelaous of the relationship between you and Jean. Not everyone get something like that, Fix. You two are very lucky.
- Sometimes I think I'm the only one who's lucky – smiled Felix, waving goodbye to his friend and getting back to his console very happy, humming a song to himself and blushing at thinking in his dynamite gal.