Chapter 11: Return

Beck had spent most of the cycle looking forward to sleep mode, but now that he was in apartment lying on his bed, he couldn't get his mind to shut down.

We don't need Tron, or the Renegade, or whoever he is. I mean, it clearly was too much for him. And he's probably not all that stable after, you know, derezzing Programs.

Beck sighed. The damage inflicted by Cyrus was extensive, and even after the Program's death it continued.

But now he had Tron, back to full health. Staring at the ceiling, Beck remembered that intense feeling of horror, thinking he had been too late to save him. It had been too close. They were lucky. He couldn't even imagine what would have happened if Tron became repurposed by Clu.

But it was okay. Tron was healed. Everything would work out. They could defeat Clu, and they would show the Programs that Tron was someone to look up to – a true leader.

It would work out…

Beck opened his eyes slowly. He was cuffed. There was water on the ground. A single light shone on him as a black figure with minimal red circuitry stepped forward.

"So Beck, what made you decide to go Renegade?"

He blinked, reliving the moment he first met Tron.

"Tron I know it's you. Haven't we been through this already?"

The figure didn't respond, just reached behind him and pulled off his disc, splitting it into two; a weapon for each hand. They both glowed red.

"Tron! Wait!"

"So you confess to being the Renegade?"

The figure who was not Tron raised the discs.

"Stop!"

The red descended.

He closed his eyes.

"Beck? Beck, it's me."

"Paige?"

He was on the bridge overlooking Argon.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I…"

"What's the matter, Mechanic? Or should I say Renegade?"

"Paige! I…" He struggled, trying to explain himself.

"Easy, Beck. Relax. It's okay. I'm on your side, remember?"

His brow furrowed, confused.

Paige was smiling.

"Zed and Mara are waiting for us at the Garage. We should probably go."

He stood up, only to find himself in the hands of Clu's guards.

"Get your hands off me!" Paige was struggling against the guards that held her.

"Stop! Let her go!"

Beck watched as one of the guards took her disc, and plunged it through her chest.

"No!"

Beck hit the ground hard. He blinked, looking around his apartment, realizing that he had fallen off of the bed. Flynn that was horrifying.

Running his fingers through his hair, he tried to forget the nightmarish images that remained in his mind. Looking out a window, he could see that it was the beginning of the new cycle.

He sighed, pulling himself up and grabbing his baton on his way out the door.

They were only dreams.

He drained two glasses of energy, feeling only marginally better. His reflection showed bright and healthy circuitry, but he was feeling the exact opposite.

It was time to see Tron.

It had taken some willpower, but Beck managed to go past the fourth floor without stopping the elevator.

"Hey."

"Hello, Beck. I trust everything went well with your friends?"

"Yeah, about that. They told me they were at the protest in Argon Square. The one that you stopped."

Tron sighed.

"A single protest isn't going to stop Clu. I just made sure they were able to get home safely."

"They also said…What Cyrus did as the Renegade–"

"I know what he did, Beck. He wanted Programs against the Renegade, and he succeeded, making our job that much harder. But I believe that with time, we can win back their trust."

"What if we don't have the time?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Clu's not going down easily. We'll have plenty of opportunities to show them what we truly stand for."

Beck bit his lip, contemplative, as he watched Tron move things around on the screens.

"That's the footage from Clu's arrival."

"I've been trying to figure out his next move. He's been awfully quiet since arriving in Argon."

Beck gave a low whistle as the camera panned, showing the full might of Clu's force.

"What do you think he's planning to do with that army?"

"I have no idea."

"And General Tesler?"

"Tesler's in the dark just as much as we are. It also doesn't help that he has a missing Commander to look for."

Tron gave Beck a sidelong glance.

Beck couldn't help a smirk.

"Have you talked to her?"

Tron didn't respond.

"I left you for a cycle, and you still haven't talked to Paige?"

"I spoke with her."

Tron wasn't looking anywhere near him.

"And?"

"I don't have time for this, Beck. Ask her yourself."

He lifted an eyebrow.

"Okay... I will."

"Paige? Where are you?"

He was suddenly shoved from behind.

"Paige?!"

Turning around, he barely managed to dodge her fist.

"How was Argon?"

He blocked a few more of her hits, only to get caught in the stomach by her foot.

"Great," he managed to wheeze out.

She grinned at him playfully from her fighting stance.

"Is that all you've got?"

Matching her grin, he lunged for a punch.

The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back. Paige was partially kneeling, his right wrist in her grip, holding it up and perpendicular to the floor, twisting in painfully. Her left foot was pressed down over his left arm. She looked down at him.

"Nice to know I can still beat you without my disc."

"That was embarrassing."

She let him go, and they stood up quickly.

"Nice flip though, I'll have to remember that one next time."

He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw her grin flicker for a moment.

"So, what did you do last cycle? Don't tell me you were waiting there the entire time, just to get me on my back."

"Very funny."

"Well?"

"I explored the floor a bit."

"Did Tron come down here?"

"He did."

"And?"

"And he asked me a few questions."

"And?"

"Just forget about it Beck. Nothing happened."

Beck sighed. "Why does this feel like an interrogation? Both you and Tron refuse to tell me what happened last cycle. You know, nothing is going to get resolved this way."

"I said, let it go, Beck."

"Okay, okay," he had his hands up in surrender. "Consider it forgotten. For now."

It was uncomfortably silent for a couple micros.

"Tesler started putting up posters. He's got the entire City looking for you."

Paige looked away before meeting his eyes again.

"What were you doing in Argon?"

He shrugged.

"Just helping out some friends. Mechanic work. Nothing much."

"But Pavel took over the Garage."

"I know. Most of the mechanics from the Garage have set up small businesses elsewhere. They needed some help getting established."

She nodded absentmindedly.

"I also went to see a medic."

"What?!"

He smiled.

"It was nothing. My friends thought I looked sleep deprived. I have no idea why."

She rolled her eyes.

"What did the medic say?"

"That the Program who healed my arm was very skilled."

Paige stared at him for a very long time.

"Beck, I need you upstairs. Now." Tron didn't particularly sound patient over the speakers.

Beck sighed.

"Sorry, I'll get back to you later, okay?"

"Okay."

The word was reflexive, and he was gone before she could say anything else.