Chapter 14

"Wait...you know him?"

Kira looks to Paige, nodding. "Yes. We used to be co-workers at the garage. In Kailsburg."

"Oh..." She nods, having grown solemn.

"I'm surprised to see you here." Kir grabs her attention again. His head does the familiar tilt that he always did, mechanic or soldier. His eyes flick brighter for a moment, then fade. "You said you were going somewhere safer. Argon is as dangerous as Kailsburg was, if not more. Programs here are reckless..." He glances around, "and not the brightest."

Beck's grip on her shoulder tightens. She glances up to see Beck has set his jaw, his gaze not leaving Kir, who doesn't notice the mechanic.

"Kir-" Kira steels herself, meeting his gaze as she keeps her voice level-"that was uncalled for. Apologize, please, to Beck and Paige."

His eyebrows furrow. "Beck? Who's Beck?"

"I am."

Kir finally looks up, and it's as if he just noticed the program standing behind Kira. Beck's voice is sharp, and he withdraws his hand from Kira's shoulder. The two seem to look each other up and down.

"You're Kir?"

Kir glances over Beck again, and that familiar start of a curled lip starts.

"Kir." Kira speaks again before he can speak, glancing between the two male programs. "Beck is a friend. He helped me find a job here. I trust him."

Kir examines Beck critically once more. He seems to take Kira's words, because after a long moment, he forces a smile that doesn't reach his eyes, and he nods. "Sorry about that."

Beck gives a curt nod, not saying anything.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Kir looks again to Kira to direct his next question. "So...where did you get a job at?"

"Probably at Abel's Garage." Paige speaks up, now standing next to Kira. She glances between Kir and Beck. "That's where Beck works."

"Is it now?" Kir says, glancing to Beck as well. "How is Abel doing?"

Kira bites the inside of her cheek, "About that...Kir..."

"He's dead." Beck says, and the three can hear the sorrow that causes the slight raise in the pitch of his voice. He doesn't look to any of them.

Kir's eyes widen, and his neutral expression falls to pieces. "What happened?"

"He was caught in an explosion, trying to save a couple of his employees from a hostage situation." Kira answers for Beck.

Kir looks down. "I'm...sorry." He looks up again. "Who did it?"

Beck opens his mouth to speak, but Paige beats him to it. Her lips purse in a tight line. "The Renegade. Apparently he now concedes in murder."

Beck stiffens, but his gaze dims and lowers to the ground. No one notices.

No one except Kira.

"The Renegade?" Kira returns her attention to the two soldiers, and after a couple moments, so does Beck.

"Yes. He's attacked soldiers and citizens alike."

Kira glances to Beck again. The sadness is merely a flicker as his jaw sets again. His hands are clenching into fists, but it doesn't seem to be directed at anyone.

"Interesting." Kir muses out loud. "Looks like I'll be seeing him soon, then."

Beck snaps out of his anger quickly, blinking in surprise. Kira's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

Kir finally gives a genuine grin, though sheepishly. "Surprise! I'm being stationed here."

She doesn't say anything for a long moment, merely staring at him. When she realizes he's waiting for a response, she blinks and manages out: "T-That's great!"

"Yeah, now we an hang out again, like old times."

Oh... She forces the smile to remain on her face. Great.

"Well, maybe not all the time." Beck points out. "She does have to work, you know. A mechanic's job is time consuming."

Kir's glare snaps to Beck as he says coldly. "I know that. I remember."

"Really?" Beck sounds mild, but his anger is quickly creeping up again. "You seem to have trouble with that. Makes you seem stupid, actually."

Kir tilts his head slightly, a sneer building. "Really? You seem to forget that you're not the System Administrator. That you don't run the place. And you believe that the Renegade is Tron, when in truth he's a fake. Who seems stupid now?"

Beck's eyes flash. He starts towards Kir when a hand grabs his arm tight, and pulls him back with surprising strength.

"Okay, it's best we get back to the Garage!" Kira pretends to beam, still pulling Beck away. She gives a fake laugh. "You know, stuff to do, not enough time to do it all!"

She doesn't stick around for the two soldiers to say anything. She turns Beck around, still pulling him by the arm out of the club.

Once they are out of the doorway, she throws down Beck's arm, and turns on him. He can see it in her form and the way her clenched fists shake; she isn't pleased in the slightest.

"Are you glitching Beck?! What were you trying to do?"

"That guy's a creep, I was trying to defend you and the R_"

"I'm fine! The Renegade is fine! Neither of us need your help!"

Beck stalks past her into the alleyway next to the club. She follows him.

"Beck, turn and look at me." When he doesn't reply, she repeats herself. "Beck, look at me."

He finally turns, glaring at her.

"Kir was betting on you trying to fight you. He doesn't like you and he was riling you up so he could arrest you and take you in. You can't let your emotions run what you're doing! Both sides of this fight are taking what they can get, and that's not a good thing! In case you haven't noticed, we are in a war!"

"Then why were you sweet-talking to him?"

She gives him a ridiculous look. "It's called controlling my emotions, Beck! You think I was happy to see him? Don't you think I wish I could have left him behind with Kailsburg? He's caused too much pain in my life and I don't need any more with you two butting heads because you so much as glance at each other!"

Beck looks away but she's too angry to care. She sighs, walking away from him. She runs a hand through her hair, pushing up her overhanging bangs. Her anger begins to fade and she sighs again.

"I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry. I'm just...frustrated. Thanks, though, for re-introducing me to Paige."

He doesn't answer. She shakes her head, not looking back to him as her shoulder slump.

"I'm going home-"

"KIRA!"

Kira feels the force to the small of her back that sends her stumbling. She glances back to see Beck crumple as a program lands on top of him.

"BECK!"

She runs towards him, seeing him not stir. However at her yell, the program's head snaps up and she stops in her steps.

The program is lithe and tense, their glass mask not turning away from Kira. They nod quickly, and get off of Beck. The program starts towards Kira instead, who backs away from the program. Her back hits the wall and she starts, glancing to either side of her as the program doesn't stop in their advance. They finally stop, saying nothing as the two meet gaze for a long moment.

"Halt program!"

The two look to the end of the alleyway where Kir and Paige begin to advance, discs out. The program glances to them, then to Kira again, before running to the dead end. They jump, grasping the side of the wall, and with a blink, they disappear over the top.

Kir docs his disc and takes up a ladder on the side, Paige hot on his heels. Kira watches them leave, before running over to Beck, who is holding his head as he begins to sit up.

"Are you alright?"

He nods, "I'm fine." He looks up. "Who was that?"

She follows his gaze up, and then shrugs. "I don't know."

"Something about her seemed familiar..."

Her gaze snaps back to Beck as he begins to get to his feet. "Her?" She stops him. "Don't get up yet."

"Yes, her. Did you get that feeling, though?"

"No." Kira withdraws her hand to her lap. "But there may be someone who knows who that was."

"Who?"

Kira opens her mouth to answer, but closes it as Kir and Paige return.

"Are you alright?" She kneels next to Beck, glancing to Kira. "They didn't hurt you?"

"Beck was the only one injured and he's recovering quickly."

Paige nods, but still checks him for injuries. When he is notified that he is safe to stand, he does so as Paige moves on to Kira.

"I wonder..." Kir says out loud, looking to the wall the program had climbed.

"What?" Kira looks to him.

"Was that the Renegade?"

Beck shakes his head. "The Renegade is taller and his suit is white. Plus, he would have the sign of Tron on his chest. This program didn't."

Kir considers this. "Then maybe the Outsider."

"I doubt it." Kira shrugs as she speaks. "She kind of disappeared after that incident."

At the mention of 'incident', Kir looks to her, but she looks back to Paige.

"Many programs think she died back in Kailsburg." She continues.

Kir frowns. "She may still be out there."

Kira wants to tell him otherwise, that there's been no sign or rumors of here since the fall of their city, but she decides otherwise. "...Right."

Paige nods and stands. "You'll be fine. Let's go Kir."

Kir nods, following her out of the alleyway. As they leave, Beck looks to Kira. "Who's the Outsider?"

She watches him for a long moment, before finally looking away. Of course, no one here knows...

"No one." She says finally.

"Are you sure? She sounds pretty..."

"I need to be alone for a bit." She cuts him off. "Is that okay?"

He nods. "Don't get caught out after curfew."

She grabs her baton, and shrugs. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

I have questions that I believe a certain program in the Outlands can answer.

And I want them now.