8 Lifting Off The Ground
"Glitterball by FC Kahuna"
Even though the morning rush has ended, the train station is still heavy with foot traffic when we arrive. It's a sea of Programs going in all different directions with Black Guards mingled in randomly stopping people for a disc inspection.
Our group: Hawk in a blacked out suit, myself in a form similar to my original Renegade suit without Tron's symbol, and a third unremarkable man mostly covered by a long cloak. I stare at our escort and analyze him critically.
By all appearances, he's an unremarkable man. A short even haircut and the bags under his eyes are the only defining features.
The skin around his eyes are tight and lips are drawn together. His black eyes are darting around following the groups of Black Guards as if they'll suddenly come upon us if he's not carefully watching them, willing them to stay away.
"Stop staring," Hawk instructs. Whether she's talking to me or Keller in her disguised body I'm not sure.
"Keep your head down, we'll steer you away from the patrols," I whisper to Keller and move her between Hawk and I with a hand on her shoulder.
She's stiff. It's weird seeing her so flustered and nervous. I can't fault her though. I remember the tension I had when I went to destroy Clu's statue.
As we get closer to the train for Bismuth the patrols increase in their quantity. I make one last scan into the crowd around us in hopes of spotting Tron. His height makes him stand out, but even so, I don't spot him.
"Halt Program," a Black Guard commands in our direction when my head is turned in the opposite direction.
I curse my momentary lapse in awareness as the three of us turn to face the single guard. To my, and probably the others' relief, the guard is focused on a short Program who's next to us. While the short woman gets her disc inspected we slip back into the crowd.
"That was close," Keller sighs out tightly.
Hawk simply angles her helmet at me in warning. I can feel my shoulder slink slightly as we continue forward.
The crowd is at its thickest now. There's a line of sentries with their staff batons up forcing Programs to go through inspection check points. Ones we'll have to somehow pass unnoticed.
"The train to Bismuth will depart in five microcycles," the announcement played throughout the station.
We're next to get checked. I step in front of Keller and ready my disc. There are two Black Guards scanning discs lazily. Their shoulders are not straight and their heads are angled away from the scans as if they're indifferent to the results. Their scans beep green and they let the two Programs go ahead by shoving their discs back into the owners hands.
"Step up Program," the one on the right commands me, his voice bored.
"Why are you- Oops!" My disc slips out of my hand before the guard can grab it. It rolls to his left, away from Hawk and Keller who is tucked behind her.
"As I was saying, why are you scanning our discs for?" I keep talking to the guard, his body slightly more alert and watching me as I retrieve my fallen disc.
"Standard routine inspection, Program. Your disc," he commands again as I slowly stand back up and hand it to him. His back is to Hawk, and I watch as Keller slips past the post.
"Halt Program!" An unseen sentry in the crowd shouts. My eyes land on Keller who has frozen in panic.
From the crowd a tall figure adorned in all white blasts between the checkpoint and races for the train.
Tron? This was your plan?
I gawk as Tron races past Keller's position and leaps aboard the train. Black Guards patrols from the crowd give chase and follow Tron as he sprints to the rear.
The guard scanning my disc has dropped it, along with his guard, in favor of his disc and is turning to give chase. The fraction of a nano his head is turned I can't help but want to smash his helmet in with a solid elbow strike, but hold myself back. I'm Beck the citizen, no Renegade.
Hawk reaches Keller first and subtly shoves her to get a move on. It works as Keller regains her senses and composure, making her way onto the train.
When I board the train, I head towards the rear. In the second to last compartment Keller is seated on the left side by herself. She's fidgeting with one of her injecting syringes by the time I make it next to her.
"Whoa!" I gasp as I grab the syringe that she's accidentally dropped.
"Thanks," she shakily says when I hand it back to her.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I ask.
"Just get me out of here in one piece," she says almost harshly as she injects the blue liquid from her syringe into her arm.
"You'll give yourself away if you shake any harder," Hawk remarks from behind me. I turn and find her seated close to the window on the opposite side of the walkway.
"Reassuring from the Occupation soldier,"
"Medic," Hawk corrects while I take the seat on the other side of the table from Hawk.
I shush the two, "We'll also give ourselves away by talking to each other," I pointedly glare at Hawk.
Her boot connects with my shin and her helmet turns to look out the window. I grunt in pain and rub my shin before kicking at her feet just to unsettle her. She takes the opportunity to stomp of my toes. I withdraw my foot from further damage.
She lets out a small self pleased grunt.
"She seduced you," Keller remarks in disgusted annoyance.
I turn my attention back to her, "What?"
Keller doesn't respond, only looks out the window as the guards and sentries attempt to reorganize the crowd so they can continue their inspections.
I look back to Hawk but see her the side of her helmet as she too as started to look out the window.
The carriage fills with more Programs, leaving everyone with their own individual seat. The only people who are sharing a table are Hawk and I. When the train starts moving, I can't help but feel relief. So far so good.
The door to the car opens and one of the train conductors steps in to start scanning tickets. It gives me time to think, to realize how energized I am.
This flow of energy coursing through my body is exhilarating. It feels like Shaw's disc mod, but without this weight, this urge to dominate and control. Instead it's light, nearly flying with the high. A laser focus split between the unusually slow movement of the conductor and the minor fidgeting and movements of Keller and Hawk.
She seduced you.
She's a liability.
She's far too suspicious to be trusted.
And with the clarity of an energized mind...
… Users, when did I get so far away from feeling this way?
I turn and stare at Hawk. It's so obvious now. I can place Paige's face behind the mask though what her expression looks like I couldn't tell.
She turns as the conductor approaches us and the two of us hand our tickets over to be scanned. They're efficiently handed back to us and the conductor leaves the car onto the next one.
"What?" Hawk asks now that she catches me staring.
Should I confront her? Not now, with Keller less than two meters away.
"Nothing. We'll talk later,"
Her helmet tilts in question before she shrugs her shoulders and looks out at the passing scenery.
Our attention is brought to Keller when she stands and makes her way towards the car door.
"Where are you going?" Hawk demands.
"Out," Keller grunts before slamming the door closed.
I begin to stand but a hand on my forearm stops me.
"Let her go. She can't go far," Hawk reasons, her helmet still staring out the window.
"What if an Occupation soldier finds her?" Her helmet turns to face me now.
"They won't, and if they do, she has us," There's a bite in her voice that the distortion of the voice modulator can't hide.
I pause a moment when a thought occurs to me.
"You just want me to yourself huh?" I tease.
Hawk instantly tenses. I move my feet before she can subtly smash my toes into voxels. When her boot lands on the floor I take the chance to move mine over hers and pin it.
"Just joking. Why are you so wound up?"
"We shouldn't be talking to each other, it'll give us away,"
"I-" My brain catches up to her words and the double meaning. My foot releases hers.
"Fine," I relinquish with my voice distortion off. I can feel her intense gaze peering at me. Her body is still stiff and I can't get a read on her.
In a low voice meant to be reassuring I reiterate, "We'll talk later,"
If Hawk really is Paige, then she'll know my identity by my voice. Something tells me she already knows, but reassurance is good.
It takes a moment, but her head eventually nods. It seems to discharge the tension between the both of us.
When a dozen micros pass, I begin to worry.
"I'm going to look for her," I mutter to Hawk.
Before she can respond the door to the front of the car opens revealing Occupation soldiers. A patrol more specifically, led by a greasy haired man with disdain written all over his face. He enters and slowly examines each passenger, his black eyes darting between them like laboratory test subjects.
Pavel...
When he notices me he smiles slowly.
"Program, identify yourself," he commands with dark glee. His eyes then catch Hawk across from me and his eyebrow rises, "Two of you? Identify yourself,"
"Why? Who are you?" I counter.
"Commander Pavel, I work directly under General Tesler," he states with sickening pride, "We have confirmation of a rogue Program on this train. Now. Identify yourself," he growls lowly, putting both hands on the table and glaring at me centimeters close.
Before I can formulate a response, the door to the back of the car opens.
Everyone turns and my heart drops. It's Keller.