"He's getting worse and trying to hide it from us"

"Yeah, but...but what can we do? I mean, he's essentially dying but from what I can tell there's no undoing what Dyson and Clu did to him"

"I...I heard him once when he was having a nightmare, he called for someone named Alan-One, we could see if Able knows who that is"

"And if they can help, that's the more important thing"

"Right"

And so the next day before their shift they asked to talk to Able in private

"Okay you two, what's going on?"

"It's about Tron, he's getting worse, but we think we might have a solution, but only if you know the answer to a question that we don't think we can go to Tron with"

"What's the question?"

"Do you know who Alan-One is?"

"That's...I haven't heard that name in a long while, especially not from Tron, where did you hear that name anyways?"

"Sometimes we're there when Tron's asleep, and I've heard him call out that name, apologizing on occasion or stating that he needs help against something called the MCP"

Able sighs at this

"I know who Alan-One is, and I also know that they could potentially heal Tron, but getting them here is a bit of a problem, for more than one reason"

"Let's just start with who Alan-One is and we'll go from there"

"He's Tron's User guys, the one who actually wrote Tron into existence, now then Tron actually was created on another system and transported here, with permission but still that makes him one of if not the oldest program on the Grid"

"What about Clu?"

"That's why I said one of because I don't know if Clu was created on this Grid or transported here too, Tron never told me that"

"I see, now that we know that Alan-One is Tron's User that means he could help Tron, possibly heal him"

"Yes, but here's where the issues come into play, for one how are you going to contact him when you don't even know who he is? I'm also wondering what Clu might do if he gets his hands on a user, Tron fought for Flynn to escape, though Tron doesn't know if that happened or if Flynn's even alive. If Clu got his hands on a user after all this time then..."

"Then Tron's sacrifice would basically be for nothing, he fights for the users, that's something we always heard before everything happened"

"Exactly, I know that Tron's death would be devastating, but he would be angry if we risked a user, especially his user just to keep him alive"

"Then we figure out how to keep the user safe and then get them onto the Grid somehow, before it's too late and our only options are desperate moves that have their own risks"

"Rectification"

"Exactly, the enemy might offer Tron that option if they found out he's alive"

(sighs) "Then we go as fast as safely possible, I just wish that Beck was here because he might also have ideas regarding our goal"

"Yeah, though if he was still alive then we might not know about this"

"Point"

As it turned out though they quickly figured out a safe way of getting the user onto the grid, and thus went on to try and figure out who he was in real life and how they could get in contact with him discreetly. And they were hoping that the process was quick, because Tron was getting worse every day and they were afraid they would lose him at any time

"We need to figure out where Alan-One might be because quite frankly if we don't get that information then we lose Tron"

"Yeah, wait...Able might know more, let's ask if Tron ever talked about his old system and we'll go from there"

They would eventually find out that Tron had come from an ENCOM system and so they used that to try and get in contact with Alan-One and got lucky and actually managed to make contact with Tron's user, and while they don't tell him everything they give him enough information to know that something was different then he was used to about the two that had made contact with him about an old program of his. And then they came across a new problem, how to get Alan-One to a location where he could actually access the Grid, which they knew from Tron was isolated deliberately by Flynn

"If...if we can't figure this problem out we're going to lose him aren't we?"

"Yeah, unless we decide to go for the dangerous we need to seriously time things route"

"No, that route is too risky"

"Then we ask Alan-One if he has any ideas to get him to access the Grid"

"Right"

As it turned out Alan-One did indeed have an idea, he gave them several numbers in sequence and mentioned that they were to repeat that sequence into the device that they were using to communicate with him and that the sequence would tell him where he needed to go, though not how that was supposed to work. They did as asked in any case and soon received the message that he was going to enter the Grid and that he'd appreciate meeting them there

"Let's go and hope we get there before he does, because he didn't give us any timeline"

"Right, except..."

"Tron"

"Yeah, Tron, he's getting worse and I don't think Able can watch him in his condition"

"The Occupation is also an issue, then I'll go and you stay Mara"

"You took a mission last time, it's my turn for a mission Zed"

"If needed you'll take a mission in Argon, we can't risk both of us being gone and you're better at improvisation than I am which might be needed here all things considered"

After a few moments of silence Mara gives into Zed's logic

"Fine, but you get to be the one to tell Able about the mission so that he can cover your extended absence"

"Fair enough"

And so they go to Able's office and one look told Able that they needed to talk to him about Renegade business

"Close the door you two"

Once the door was closed Able spoke up again

"Who needs coverage and for what?"

"I need coverage, I'm going to be meeting with Alan-One and that means going out of town for an extended period of time"

"To Tron City"

"Not exactly, but I'll admit it's going to be close to that location"

(Sighs) "Let me make a phone call real quick and I'll be able to fake a mission to Tron City for you, do you know when Alan-One is expected to enter the Grid?"

"No idea"

"Right, I'll make this quick then, do your normal work until I call you back in Zed, Mara you're doing double shifts today as a means of getting us ahead if at all possible"

"Understood, though I do wonder what we're going to do when I have Renegade duties to attend to"

"We'll figure that out when and if it happens Mara, for now, get back to work"

"Yes sir"

A few minutes later and Able called for Zed

"I got in contact with someone who's faked a supply order from me, at least in regards to the urgency needed anyways, you go at the end of the hour since it will take that long to gather the supplies"

"Understood"

And so an hour later Zed was headed to Tron city and arrived at the entry point for Alan-One into the Grid a few hours before Alan-One actually arrived

"Alan-One?"

"Yes, which one are you? I only know you by the names rebel mechanic and explosive mechanic"

"I'm...I'm the one known as rebel mechanic, but my real name is Zed"

"I see, now then your messages stated that this is about an old program of mine, Tron"

"Yes, we need to head to Argon city right away"

"Very well then, I assume that you'll give me an explanation as to why we need to get moving?"

"Yes, but not here, we need to move, now"

And so the two head back to Argon and Zed gives Alan-One the basics about the Occupation and what Clu had done to the Grid, though not actually using Clu's name, and then suddenly Mara comes over the comm and uses Zed's actual name, though that's only because Zed had told her that he was with Alan-One and had given the user his name

"Zed, it's Tron!"

"What's wrong?"

"He...he collapsed Zed, he needed his healing chamber and it didn't work, he...he doesn't think he has much longer to live, that we have to use the riskier option of him being rectified"

"I'm almost there, give me a few more hours, does he have at least that long?"

"Yeah, he's given himself a day or two, no more than three though"

"Good, keep him sedated, I should be there this evening at the latest, tell Able though that I can't come back tomorrow, one of us has to stay with Alan-One until Tron wakes up"

"Right"

And so a few hours later Zed and Alan arrived at Tron's hidden base of operations and Alan immediately got to work on Tron's code, saving his life and healing the damage done to him and deleting the virus. While working Alan got a look on his face that scared Zed but because Alan noticed that he said he wasn't mad at Zed, but would explain more once Tron was awake and actually aware

"When will that be?"

"Hopefully by what's considered morning here"

"Um...Alan-One what about the portal you entered here from?"

(Sighs) "I can't be sure, but I'm almost positive it's closed on me by now"

"What does that mean for you exactly?"

"I'm most likely trapped in here until further notice, makes the most sense considering...well things that I won't talk about just yet"

"I'm sorry then if that's the case"

"It's alright, but that's for part of the explanation I'll give you once Tron is awake and actually aware of things again"

"So, we wait then"

"Exactly, though hopefully he'll wake up soon enough"

Tron would indeed wake up relatively quickly, as in the next afternoon, but he was extremely disoriented due to having almost derezzed and all the work Alan had done to save his life, as such Tron's systems were still adjusting to his healed status and using more energy than normal, and went back to sleep after receiving energy

"Guess we're still waiting then"

"True, but the fact that he woke up so soon after what I did to his coding is a good sign I think"

"Let's hope so, oh by the way Mara is taking the next shift, she needs time off from being the Renegade and time away from the garage, doing more than normal because she's the only one who can understand my work notes"

"Is Mara explosive mechanic?"

"Yes, she is"

"Can't wait to meet her"

And so Alan met Mara and then after Zed's shift Tron woke up and was actually aware, though he didn't immediately notice Alan because Alan decided to hide in the corner

"Zed...Mara, what happened?"

"You collapsed, your healing chamber failed you Tron"

"Then how am I alive?"

"You're healed, we found a way to heal you without rectification"

"How?"

Alan came out from the shadows as he was speaking up

"That would be my doing Tron"

"Who...Alan-One?"

"Hello Tron, it's nice to finally meet you, and it gives me a lot of explanations regarding Flynn"

"Same...same here, but, how are you here?"

"That's a story that I'm going to be telling all of you now, however there's one thing I need to know first"

"What's that?"

"Is the person who did this to you still alive?"

"Yes, and very much still after me"

"I see...the next time I see this person they won't be standing long"

"Alan-One, there's a complication that you're not aware of"

"First of all, it's Alan, and only Alan Tron, second of all there's no complication that can stop me from destroying the one who tortured you and modified my coding like they did"

"They're an exact digital copy of Flynn, as in they look exactly like Flynn did the last time you saw him, Alan, his name is Clu and he's too powerful, I don't...I don't even know if Flynn's still alive, he most definitely thinks that I'm dead considering the last time we saw each other"

Hearing that information pauses Alan very much visibly for a moment and then Alan sighs and speaks up again

"Okay, that does actually make things a little bit more complicated, but I'm still going to take Clu out if at all possible, as early as possible, and even if I don't take him out if I get in a good punch I'll be happy enough with that, though Kevin is in for a reckoning when we're reunited for keeping all of this a secret"

Tron is silent for a moment and then speaks up again

"How long have you been here Alan?"

"A few days...I think anyways"

"Which means the portal to the Grid is closed, Alan...with the portal is closed it means that you're going to be trapped here like Flynn was, at least if he's still alive anyways"

"No Tron, I'm not trapped, Lora and I made a plan before I came here"

Right before Grid trip

"Lora, I think I found out what happened to Flynn, if you don't hear from me within twelve hours you come to the old arcade and isolate this entire system that I found here until you can figure out a way to bring me back"

"Alan, what if I can't figure out how to bring you back?"

"I...I don't know Lora, but I do know that until you can ensure that bringing me back is safe, and that this system is clear of any trouble then no one can know about this and accidentally trigger anything"

"Understood, twelve hours Alan, and I just hope that if you are essentially trapped you can make contact someday to let me know you're still alive and what plans you might have to come home, or information about Kevin"

"I know Lora, I know, see you soon I hope"

"Same here, oh, what should I tell everyone if you don't come back in time?"

"Tell them I got a sudden potential lead on Flynn, and then as time passes state I either lost the trail or found another lead, or even that the lead I was following had been a false lead"

Present

Once Alan finished his explanations Tron was silent for a moment before speaking up again

"I see, it's good that you made a plan but Alan...it could be several years, Grid time that is, before you can make contact with her again, that could be weeks or even months for her"

"Let me guess, time goes by faster here in the Grid?"

"Yes"

"Then once I make contact with Lora again we'll figure out how to coordinate things better"

"By the way, how did you even know I needed help Alan?"

"I didn't actually, not really, it's just that one day I received a message that stated that an old program of mine needed me and then after a bit of back and forth I got coordinates to the arcade and found Kevin's device there"

"Mara, Zed, do you two know anything about this?"

"Yes actually, we sent the message, but not the coordinates, you...you were dying Tron, and we wanted to try and save you without risking you being reprogrammed"

"You took a huge risk, not only with Clu finding out about the message and thus capturing Alan but also the fact that he might not have made it in time to save me and thus us having to go with our original plan"

"We know Tron but...to lose you...after we already lost Beck..."

"I know, I know, now though we have more work ahead of us"

"Good point"

"Still how did you get the coordinates Alan?"

"Remember that long string of numbers I had you two send in your last message back to me Zed, Mara?"

"Yes, what about them?"

"Those numbers were actually for something called a pager and then essentially a number message that confirmed it was from you two since only you would know those numbers to send to my pager, the pager let me know what phone the message came from and that number was for the arcade"

"Oh, now then we still have work to do so what's next Tron?"

"Now that I'm back up to full strength all three of us will act as the Renegade, and my next plan involves figuring out Tesler's next move, because depending on that and my actions Clu will come to Argon and we can end this once and for all hopefully"

Alan speaks up

"Before that I need to make modifications to all of your codes, but I won't do that without your permission, not even you Tron, even though I created you, now that I know you're an actual person I won't do more than what I've already done to heal you without your permission"

"What kind of modification?"

"Zed and Mara have explained rectification to me Tron, and I think I can input code that will make that process impossible for you three, you will never have to worry about becoming one of Clu's people by force, you will always be able to resistance him for as long as it's needed, even if you have to resist from the inside until you can make your escape. But again I won't make that modification without your express permissions, and because this is code modification I want you to truly think about this before you decide to allow me to modify your code"

Tron hands over his disk and then says something that shocks Alan to his core considering that Alan had seen Tron's memories while healing him and knew that he had been violated a lot for the damage to have been done

"You have my permanent permission to make any modifications you need to my coding Alan, as my user you always have had that permission"

"In one way I know that Tron, but now that I'm actually in the Grid and you're real and in front of me I think of everyone here as a person who has rights to decide what can and can't be done to them whenever there isn't an emergency happening that forces actions to take place on behalf of the person that can't make decisions and doesn't have anyone else available to make them either"

Zed and Mara look at each other and with a single nod make an agreement