A/N: Hey guys, really quick... I just wanted to warn you guys that, for the sake of not giving WAY too many spoilers, scenes with Penny, Oliver and the rest of the Sugar Rush crew, from here on out, will be sparse...
There are maybe two or three more scenes with everyone back in Sugar Rush, in maybe the next 10-15 chapters, but I just need you guys to understand that, for a TEMPORARY time, they are not going to be written about FOR A REASON.
No one has inquired about the lack of them, thusfar, but I know, as time goes on, you guys will begin to wonder where they went... Up until I make it very clear... But, as time will tell, I am building up to a rather 'large' climax of a climax, which will indeed spill over into Rectifying Origin.
These characters WILL be back, full force, WITH a brand new face as well, but I just wanted to warn you... There will be a bit of time without them, so to leave you guys wondering, alongside our main characters here. I usually always write all angles of a plot-problem, from every single POV of every character, but I am definitely going for something a little different, and I really hope you guys stick with me, because the 'end' result will (hopefully) be more than worth it, and WILL answer everyone's questions. It WON'T be for extremely long said characters will be 'away', but I just need you guys to understand that it will be for the rest of Defying Code, and the beginning parts of Rectifying Origin.
I also want to make clear that I am coming up to the very end of Defying Code. I currently have up to chapter 142 written, and I forsee maybe 20-30 more chapters from there. I will likely BARELY breeze past 170 chapters, but I am beginning to see Defying Code being a little bit smaller than Wrecking Limits CHAPTER wise. I imagine it'll either HIT the word count, or pass WL word count entirely xD It'll still be the same/close to the same LENGTH as Wrecking Limits, but will likely have fewer chapters. Just so that's clear. There's NOT going to be 70+ chapters of STRICTLY Tessa/Zed and Zed's brothers, because Defying Code will likely only be 160-170 chapters long.
With the temporary 'loss' of these characters, I WILL be adding new faces (so it's not JUST centered around Tessa and Zed). I just really wish you guys will bear with me, and understand that I too am struggling keeping ALL my secrets JUST that xD I'm legit about to explode, but if I am to make these ideas of mine believable and suspenseful, for you guys to enjoy, I'm going to need you to stick with me and just understand, I HAVE A POINT xD
As always stated, everything always comes full circle, and I always believe in happy endings.
Well... This IS Defying Code, so...
*Chapter 128*
After a few lazy minutes of slow driving, through loved neighborhoods, Tessa began to wish that they had more time to stop and look around, though she got good glimpses where she could. Cozy homes sat with green lawns, some tattered, some fresh and new. The sky was hazed with low, thin clouds, though the brilliant blue sky still peeked through. The thing that confused Tessa the most was the strange assortments of vehicles that gave them company along the two lane street they meandered down. Once Zed finally found purpose, as well as an on-ramp onto the freeway, he revved the bike a little harder and banked along a long curve in the rugged road. Tessa gasped and tucked herself harder into Zed's back as they climbed the long, slow sloping on-ramp.
Once the massive, cement median dipped out of view, she flinched as her eyes were suddenly graced with the strangest view. Six lanes of high-speed nonsense, vehicles of all sorts flew past with heart racing flashes, the cool colors and shiny exteriors of the cars glistened in the hot sunshine. Tessa bit her bottom lip and felt a wave of familiarity come over her; she knew Stonecrest, as well as Westwind and Starkrem, all had fast city life, though she knew none of it amounted to this. She gripped Zed tighter as he finally fell into rhythm with the world and picked up the speed of the bike, which gladly cooperated. She began to feel wary as Zed finally merged into the oncoming traffic. She nearly flinched with a few times he came close to a few other quickly moving vehicles, though the way he skillfully maneuvered the bike, she knew she should be used to his expertise by now; even in this foreign land.
She finally relaxed once Zed held a solid flight of a speed a few car lengths behind a nice looking red vehicle, that shared their lane ahead of them. She just barely loosened her position, from Zed, and took in everything that was happening. Right in the heart of lightning speed traffic, Zed's bike tore over the crumbly, concrete jungle of a freeway. Large trees hung in a few places, near large slabs of walls and chainlink fences that tried it's hardest to not be overcome by curious looking foliage. The world around reeked of gasoline and hot rubber, though somehow, growing up where race cars were a plenty, Tessa nearly felt right at home. She beamed and looked about; she noticed a man, in a car back and diagonal from them, eagerly ogling Zed's bike, so much so that his silver SUV just barely swerved. Tessa exhaled a hard laugh and latched her whole self back to Zed as he began to push the speed limit. She pushed the chin of her helmet to Zed's shoulder and could feel Zed's center shake a laugh as well, even though she couldn't hear it over the roaring engine and the whipping wind.
Tessa felt her shoulders slump as their ride to freedom ended too soon. With as much driving etiquette that Zed could muster, he merged onto an off ramp and finally came to a slow stop, the droll of traffic finally approached a massive, angry looking stop light. The two finally relaxed as Zed let his left foot hang on the ground, to support the two, though he eagerly looked along the left turn lane, in which he was in. He finally assessed the situation around him and noticed lots of grumbling vehicles, though no motorcycles, and certainly nothing that looked like the bike they were on. Zed felt his heart dip in a sudden fit of realization that, the driver directly to his right, rolled down his window and was trying to converse with him. Zed quickly flipped up his visor and peered his curious attention to the balding man that waved his hand; he was sat in a lower coupe, though it was rather beaten up.
"Hey, man, what kinda bike is that?" He urged over the growl of Zed's bike; Zed furrowed his eyebrows and, though he knew he probably should have come up with some sort of excuse, he figured being honest wouldn't be so bad.
"Light cycle," Zed called, though the man raised his eyebrows, shook his head, and ogled the odd sight before him.
"Damn, man, where'd you get it?" He wondered with a hard chuckle, as if to suggest he'd get one, himself, if he potentially could.
"Built it myself," Zed fibbed, though he noticed the light turn green in his peripheral. He slapped the visor over his face and quickly revved the engine for show, though his bike sent the two flying around their turn with grace and ease.
"Liar liar pants on fire," Tessa called, Zed laughed and shook his head as the two eased down the now three lane street, where the traffic was a lot slower.
"Give me a code room, I could make a better version of this beast," Zed chuckled as the two raised their visors to converse, though Zed kept a steady eye on the road, "Oliver's gunna get the light-cycle of a lifetime, I hope he's aware."
The two shared a few soft laughs before Zed finally noticed their destination a stoplight away. With trying to obey the rules of the road, in which he was merely guessing at, he eased the bike down the street and slowly pulled into the parking lot just before their lunch spot. Zed inwardly groaned as he noticed a few bystanders ogle the sight that was pulling in, though as carefully as he could, he found a parking spot that was a few lanes from the windows, of the fast food joint, so that he could keep an eye on it while they were inside. Once and for all, Zed powered off his bike and sat up, which cued Tessa to as well. They both dismounted the bike and took off their helmets. Tessa fixed her hair and clothes, appropriately, though she took a wary step closer to Zed as she noticed a few strangers, lingering near the doorway, went wide eyed at the strange vehicle that had graced their presence. Tessa swallowed hard and felt a wash of uncertainty come over her. She knew, conversing with the very beings they prayed to was going to be bizarre; the very beings that created her existence. She began to slightly shake.
"Jesus, man, how did you get a bike that cool?" One guy called casually, though the group of three kept a five foot gap of respectful distance, "I've never seen anything like this before."
"It's a light cycle," Zed eased, though he furrowed his eyebrows and hoped somehow he was convincing.
"Oh yeah, dude! Like in the movie!" The other guy suggested to his friend as he gestured his arm. Both guys were dressed in lazy tanks, sandals and khaki cargo shorts; they looked as if they had just come straight out of EZ Living. They were with a girl, who was easily dressed in similar, beach attire. They all looked to be in their mid twenties.
"Right! Tron!" The girl giggled as they continued to ogle the bike, though Zed felt his heart dip with uncertainty.
"Yeah," Zed eased as casually as he could.
"Is it a Toyota? Scion?" The first guy suggested, though both strange boys began to eye Zed's bike a little closer, which made Zed feel even more wary.
"Somethin' foreign, I'm sure," his friend lazily replied.
"Y'probably get all the chicks, with this thing," The first guy laughed, which cued his two friends to happily agree.
"Real babe magnet, I'm told," Zed scoffed with a knowing smile, though as if this was his shining opportunity to somehow attempt to win Tessa's heart over, and show her off, he lovingly slipped his hand into hers and was delightfully surprised to feel her push closer to his presence, though he had to assume it was out of nervousness, "Worked for me."
"I'll say-what, she beat you with her mouth? Can't keep her hands off'a yah," the main guy said in a knowing tone as he gestured to Zed, "Lookit all them hickeys! I gotta get me a bike, like this."
"Hickeys?" Zed felt his face get hot, though he finally realized that they were talking about the bruises all over his neck, from the strangulation he endured from Ralph and mostly Selka, "Oh... Right. I actually was strangled," he said in a tone that could potentially leave the group to believe he was kidding, even though he wasn't.
"Ah! Good one," their new friend pointed with a hard chuckle, though Zed finally squeezed Tessa's hand once and for all and slowly began to move away from his bike, and towards the entrance.
"Hickeys," Tessa spat with snotty delight as the two pushed into the building and out of earshot of the three strangers. She giggled and crossed her arms, ultimately taking her hand away from Zed's, "Don't you wish."
Zed let his dull stare sink into the inviting, though bright environment. With white walls, red accents and a lively group, In-N-Out was crowded. He lightly glanced back at his bike, from the large windows that hugged the entirety of the joint, though he relaxed once he noticed no one was approaching it. Zed's eyes nervously scanned for an open table, though once he spot it, he carefully led Tessa through the crowd and to their destination. A small, two person table, with two stools on either side, Zed gestured for Tessa to sit down. As carefully as she could, she did so, though not without getting a good, curious and nervous look around. She slowly took the backpack off and hugged it to her chest as her naive eyes took everything in. Zed softly opened the front zipper and took out a crisp, green piece of paper with the number '20' on it, as well as some official writing, and a picture of an old guy. Tessa nervously peered her eyes to Zed's, as if to hope every mean comment she has ever made to him would somehow fall to the wayside in this raw moment, as she noticed him beginning to leave her presence. He scoffed a small laugh and waved his hand downward, delicately, as if to express for her to relax.
"I'm going to go get us some food," Zed eased kindly to her, "Stay here, I'll be right back... Keep an eye on the bike."
Tessa nodded slowly and nervously watched him leave. She squeezed the backpack closer to her body and set her helmet on the table, while Zed's was placed on his chair. She finally sunk into herself and let her eyes scan her loud surroundings. With stark, white walls, tiles and booths, the place was incredibly bright and, with blasting air conditioning, she dared to shiver. She felt every single pore on her skin riddle into raised goosebumps, though she largely wriggled about and felt a weird sensation draw down her spine, as if her body wanted so badly to remember just where each circuit used to lay, though having to get used to strictly veins and muscles had her brain confused. She bit her bottom lip and got a good look at a few people around her. The young crowd, inside the building, held most of the excitable energy, though she noticed a few older humans, ones with children as well. She slumped her shoulders and began to relax as she finally realized that no one was noticing her difference; no one noticed she wasn't of this world. She knew fitting in, with humans, wouldn't be impossible, though she was certain it'd be a lot harder than this.
"Alright, uh," Zed waved a small receipt paper before him and peered down at it, as he approached their small table; he had been gone for five minutes, tops, "We're order number 64."
"What did you get us?" Tessa wondered as she finally let her voice come back to her.
"Two burgers, one thing of fries to share, and uh... Two drinks," Zed completed as he pulled the two stacked cups from underneath his arm, "What do you want to drink?"
"Oooh, do they have Fizzers?" Tessa's eyes lit up, though she immediately sunk into herself and let an impending frown hit her skin.
"No," Zed gave her an apologetic smile, "They might have root beer?"
"Won't that... Impair our judgement?" Tessa urged in an annoyed tone, though Zed laughed.
"No, only Tapper's does that," He chuckled as he began to step away, though Tessa rolled her eyes and was left in silence again.
Tessa slumped back into her observing mode and let her eyes slink about her surroundings. She knew, talking too loudly about all the details of her sugary home was likely not a good idea, though she had to wonder if anyone would care or bat a lash. She glanced towards Zed's bike, for the dozenth time, and was continuously relieved that it was being left alone. She knew that bike was now their only solid chance of getting back home. She felt a pang of growing, home sick hit her stomach. She knew she was probably just feeling hunger pains a bit harder, in this world, though she furrowed her eyebrows in growing agony and wondered just what Oliver and Penny were up to, and she hoped that Lickity was keeping everyone comfortable company.
"I'm home sick too," Zed muttered as he grew closer to the table, though Tessa furrowed her eyebrows at him, as if to inquire how he suddenly read her thoughts, "You looked suddenly overcome with grief... That, and I didn't realize how much I'd miss Fizzers until it actually wasn't a soda brand, anymore."
"Sucks," Tessa glowered, though Zed sat down once and for all, with their drinks.
"It's okay, they had rootbeer," Zed glanced over to the fountain machine, though he handed Tessa her drink. She took a few sips and nodded, in an approving way.
"Not half bad, though they could learn a thing or two from Tapper," Tessa raised her tired eyebrows and finally set the backpack in between her feet, along with her helmet.
She heaved a soft sigh and shook her head, though her eyes met with Zed's hands; they were larger and looked stronger, though the way he held his drink and completed his tender mannerisms, Tessa knew the game didn't skimp transferring his sweet and soft side. His knuckles were delightfully riddled with strands of messy, blue hairs. She finally let her eyes gloss to Zed's neck; the bruises all along his throat looked a dozen times more gruesome, in this world, as if the HD had been upped and now every single broken blood vessel, on his neck, sprawled in an angry way. Tessa winced and felt her eyes finally sink into his; she could tell he was itching to overload her with every single intention he had for his life.
"Is your neck okay?" Tessa pushed, before Zed could unload, though the look of soft surprise lead to suggest Tessa hasn't technically been the kindest to him, and any bout of warmth from her cold demeanor was news to his fried brain.
"I-I'll be alright," Zed nodded tiredly.
"Selka?" Tessa wondered quietly, Zed nodded yet again.
"A-And your dad," Zed uttered with a look of exhausted dismay, though Tessa beamed a curious smile.
"My dad?" Tessa chuckled, "He threw you around, too?"
"Yeah," Zed dared as he furrowed his eyebrows and figured it could potentially be his turn to fight back, "He found me in my code room."
"What were you doing there?" Tessa wondered in an annoyed tone, though she held onto a semi-friendly smile.
"Well, seizing," Zed cocked an eyebrow and looked down to his white cup, which was daintily lined with decorative, red palm trees, "I passed out."
"What in Arcade were you doing?" Tessa let her annoyed smile continue to show through, though Zed's greyish blue eyes finally stabbed into hers.
"... I was trying to get rid of the additive in my brain code," Zed snapped quietly, though it slapped Tessa back.
She raised her eyebrows in hard surprise and froze at his words. She felt a cold wash of realization come over her; the fact that she was so close to rushing to his aid, in Game Central Station, but instead fell into Selka's arms, had her heart doing nauseating somersaults of guilt. She opened her mouth to apologize, speak, anything, though Zed softly stood as their number was called. She raised her hand slightly, as if to somehow beg Zed to sit back down, though he confidently marched away. Tessa gaped slightly, to herself and softly slumped back into her seat as realization continued to melt over her like boiling lava to a tired flower. She finally scoffed a breath and realized that she should probably lay off the snotty cold front, once and for all. She crossed her arms as guilt continued to plague her, though she let her eyes meet Zed's figure as he slowly approached their table, though this time he had their food.
"And, it's 'what on Earth were you doing?'" Zed corrected with a kind, lazy smile as he finally set their food down and sat down himself. Tessa held her curious, apologetic frown of eye contact to his, though as if his warm tone was enough of forgiveness, that she didn't deserve, she finally scoffed a small laugh and let a sorrowful smile sprawl her face.
"Right," Tessa huffed as Zed pointed at their delicious looking fries.
"I-I don't know what this nonsense is, but the guy, in line behind me, told me to order my fries 'animal style'," Zed shrugged, "Guess it means the works. Melted cheese, grilled onions, special sauce... A shorted circuit- er... I mean... A heart attack, maybe."
"This is my kinda game," Tessa chuckled as she eagerly reached for her burger and carefully picked it up, "Alright. Moment of truth."
"You're the judge," Zed smiled as he, too, picked up his burger, though he waited for Tessa to chew her first bite. He heaved a hard, though quiet laugh as she slumped into her seat and let her eyes lull into the back of her head. She finally brought herself back into her proper sitting position and shook her head.
"M'kay, we're never going back," Tessa muttered as she brought the food back to her, for another bite; Zed beamed.
"Beats EZ Living, eh?" Zed wondered as he, too, began to chow down. He chewed for a moment before he groaned a small noise and reached for a napkin, "Oh my God, what is happening."
"God?" Tessa wondered politely through a full mouth, "Don't you mean...User..."
"Nope," Zed wagged his finger with a widening smile, "Change in deities. This world has one, too. Actually, this world has several."
"No kidding," Tessa giggled as she furrowed her eyebrows and looked around, "Though, no one calls themselves users, do they?"
"They might, when they log onto a computer," Zed lazily shrugged, though he was eager to get back to his burger.