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Pretzlemanic, nope the last chapter wasn't the end.
User Rectified
Chapter 8: Recovery
Alan stretched out on the couch as he watched the various recordings of the interviews he given in the past on behalf of the company. He was on his couch and in his house and while the place was familiar it was strangely alien to him as well. It had been nearly a whole week since he was brought back to the world of the Users, his world, the world he was born in but it did not feel like home, not in the way the Grid was home to him.
"How are you feeling?" Lora asked him. Sam had called her as soon as they returned and both she and Jet was able to buy tickets for a flight back to L.A. the next day. When she had learned what had happened to him she became understandably angry. She yelled at Kevin for keeping the Grid from everyone and for getting trapped and causing what had happened to Alan. She yelled at Sam for not going into the Grid sooner and she unfairly yelled at both Quorra and Tron simply for being former programs.
"I feel better," Alan said. "Still everything is a mystery to me, but what you have shown me and being with you and Jet helped bring out a lot."
"That's because some of it is in here," she touched him on the chest, right where his heart is.
"He made me lose that part," Alan said softly. "He made me lose you and our son." He ran his fingers through his hair. "He altered me. He spliced actual program code into my DNA. I don't even think I'm human anymore, not completely."
"Alan you are human." She took his hands into her own. "He can change you physically and mentally but he was never able to touch your soul. You are as human as I am and even if he made you part program in that world you are fully human now."
"How can you be so certain?"
"I'm still angry with Kevin and little upset with Sam but I was unfair to the others. I spoke with Quorra and Tron. She had a bandaid on her finger from a paper cut and Tron had a small bruise on his elbow."
"They are human," Alan whispered. He hadn't seen his program or Quorra since Lora and Jet took him home. After they had returned to the basement of the arcade they went to Sam's place. Both Quorra and Tron had stared at everything in both amazement and delight. Alan had no idea that they had been turned into Users.
"That means you are pure human again." She smiled at him.
"I still look like I'm in my forties."
"Are you complaining that you actually look younger than your actual age?"
"No I'm complaining that I don't look even younger than that." He chuckled. "I was just kidding. I wonder if I will age again and if you hate the way I look."
"How could I hate this?" She ran her fingers through his hair. "I still loved you when you looked like this in 1995. I love you now. I will admit I miss your pretty silver hair but it will come back." Her smile grew again. "Of course I might get accused of being a cougar preying on a young stud."
"I'm going to be the one getting the high fives for being with such a hot MILF."
"Where did you hear that term?"
"Our son," Alan answered as the front door opened and Jet came walking in.
"What?" Jet asked when he realized they were staring at him.
"Nothing," Lora said and shook her head. "Where did you go?"
"I talked with Sam," Jet said as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "He and Kevin did think of something that would help restore some of dad's memories."
"How?" Alan asked.
"I don't think either of you will like it," Jet said.
"What did he suggest?" Lora asked.
"We take dad to the Grid," Jet said as he pulled one hand out of one of his pockets and adjusted his glasses. "He would have his disk there and they could restore some of his memories with the same machine-"
"No," Lora snapped and shook her head. "That thing caused your father enough misery and pain."
"They could just look at his disk."
"They are not taking him back there."
"Actually he suggested we all go," Jet said. "We all have skills in programming and we have different memories of dad."
"We are still not going back there."
"I thought it might be dangerous but agreed if-"
"Jethro how could you," Lora cut him off again. "Your father wakes up in the middle of the night screaming about this Clu. He shouts out the names of programs that he was forced to kill."
"Lora," Alan held up his hand. "This is my decision."
"Alan, you can't possibly think of returning there."
"I have to," Alan said as he rose to his feet. "I want to remember as much as possible and if this is the only way then I have to go through with this." He also wanted to see Fara again and thank her. He turned to Jet. "Tell them I agree."
Alan had felt his body become statuesque when they returned to the basement in the arcade but he had to go on. He wanted to remember everything or at least almost everything. He hoped things would go along smoothly with Lora and Kevin. He had seen Lora continue to give Kevin a stare that would freeze a volcano while Kevin only gave her apologetic glances.
Lora's anger had abated partially when they had entered the basement. Her eyebrows raised as both she and Jet looked around in wonder and amazement.
"There are pictures of us," she had said when she noticed the board.
"I always liked to keep those closest to me when I work," Kevin said as he turned on the computer.
Lora gave him another cold look as she took a firm hold of Alan's hand.
"We need to stay close," Sam said. "Everyone gather together."
Alan placed an arm around both Lora and Jet and stepped closer to Sam who had an arm around Quorra and his father. Kevin's other arm was firmly holding onto Tron.
The same whistling sound was heard again for a few seconds before it stopped and everything was different.
"What just happened?" Jet asked as he removed his glasses.
"We are on the Grid," Kevin answered. He was wearing the same robes as he was before he returned home through the portal. Sam, Tron and Quorra were also decked out their Grid suits and when Alan stared down at his arms and hands he could see his had returned as well and it was comforting to see his circuits glowing with soft blue light.
"Oh," Lora said and looked down at herself and at Jet. Both of them were wearing the same clothing. She in light brown dress pants and a near sleeveless white sweater with sandals and Jet in his t-shirt, button down flannel over it, blue jeans and sneakers.
"We're still the same," Jet said.
"You don't have Grid clothes," Kevin informed them. "When Users first come here they wear what they wore out there. One you get a light suit though it stays here and when you return your are wearing it again."
"We are not here for a wardrobe change," Lora said. "We are here to undo the damage your program did to my husband."
"It's a bit of a walk to the rectifyer," Tron said.
The walk was indeed long but Tron and Kevin were able to find some of the car like vehicles from a few helpful and very grateful programs. Kevin, Sam, and Quorra rode in one while Alan, Lora and Jet rode in another with Tron driving. They were able to get to the rectifyer in little time.
There were several sentries guarding it, but their circuitry was glowing blue along with a man that Alan had remembered as one of the bartenders for the End of Line club.
"Shaddox," Tron greeted the man.
"Tron," Shaddox said with a large smile on his face. "I have heard you have returned to being you." He sighed. "I heard rumors about you. Some said you were in hiding, some said you were derezzed and there were a few that said you and Rinzler were the same. It hurt me the most to find out the last was true."
"Hey, Shaddox," Kevin greeted him. "What has happened since we left?"
"A lot," the program said as he stretched out his arms. "Those who were forming underground uprisings worked together to help clean up Clu's mess. The End of Line building's debris has been removed."
"How many died?" Kevin asked.
Shaddox shook his head. "Can't remember. My original function kicked in as soon as those Black Guards burst in. I tried to get everyone out. I even went back for the MP3 players. We were running from the place as it blew up."
"I'm sorry for your loss," Alan said and cringed. He was with Clu when he set up the bombs. "I'm sorry I assisted in the destruction and the loss of your job."
"Primal?" Shaddox blinked as he stared at him.
"My name is Alan Bradley."
"He's my User," Tron said as he placed a reassuring hand on Alan's shoulder. "He was the one who wrote me."
"No," Shaddox gasped as his hand flew to his mouth. "So it was true. Clu had the ability to reprogram Users. She told me he had, but I didn't believe. I just didn't want to believe."
"Who did?" Alan asked.
"I did," Fara answered as she walked up to them. "After you told me to leave I joined with one of the uprisings."
"Fara," Alan approached her. "I'm sorry for what I said to you and I thank you. You planted those seeds of doubt into my head and you reminded me of the most important woman in my life. The one who I will love." He turned to smile at Lora who smiled back.
"I'm glad I could help in a way," Fara said. She smiled at the rest of them but seemed to lock her eyes with Jet.
"We returned to help Alan remember," Tron said as he gave Alan a sympathetic glance. "To try and undo what Clu had done to him."
"This way," Fara said as she led them to one of the chairs. "I wanted to destroy them, but Shaddox convinced me and several others that we need them to help restore the programs that Clu had altered."
"Have they been given you any trouble?" Sam asked.
"They have no leader," Shaddox explained. "They do whatever anyone tells them but they seem to listen to me the most. They seem to recognize security."
"Security?" Alan asked. "I thought you were a bar tender."
"He was security program first," Tron said and slapped a hand on his shoulder. "And was one of the best."
"This one is ready," Fara said as she finished pushing some buttons next to the chair. "I tried to make it not be painful."
"Thank you," Alan said as he climbed back into the chair. "Kevin, I want you to go first. To show the others how it works."
"I'm going to get you back," Kevin promised.
The pain was dull, almost like small prickles that ran along Alan's head as memories were put back. Nearly all of them was work related up to 1989. There were some of Alan and Kevin relaxing after work, going to a few bars, attending baseball games and playing at the Arcade. Alan was always able to get a higher score on the Tron game than Kevin was.
Lora went next and returned his memories of their relationship together. He remembered when he first saw her. She had just started work at ENCOM and she had paused on her way to one of the labs to glance at her watch. He would have introduced himself at the time but he was almost late meeting with his superior at the time. He remembered when they introduced each other while they poured themselves cups of coffee. When they became friends. When she asked him out for a date. All the dates they had been on, her habit of occasionally leaving clothes on the floor, when he proposed, their wedding day.
"Oh god," Lora gasped. "What he did here."
The memories of making love to Clu, the ones before Alan came to the grid was altered. Yes, this felt true when he woke up next to Lora, the way she went down on him, when he was inside her. That felt real, more real than the false memories of Clu.
Jet and Sam were next. Alan remembered reading to his son and then taking turns where he read a page and then Jet and then Jet showed him how well he could read. He remembered giving Jet a bath and baking treats with him.
With both Jet and Sam he remembered playing games of catch with the boys, teaching them how to fly kites and ride bikes. He helped them with their homework, book reports and science projects. The times he took them in their costumes around the blocks for Trick or Treating, helping to repair broken toys and playing video games with them. He showed them how to shave, how to ride motorcycles and to drive. He was a bit of a hardass on both of them when it came to their futures. He was proud when Jet went to work with Lora and he kept on pushing Sam to take interest in the company.
"Do you want us to remove everything when you were Primal?" Jet asked.
"No," Alan said. "This is good." He was helped out of the chair and when stepped away he pulled Lora into a full embrace.
"I'm glad you have been healed," Tron said. "It hurt me that you were in such pain."
"Thank you," Alan said as he stared into the eyes of Tron. He had gotten over how much it was like staring into a mirror when he looked at his program. He was looking at his friend, someone he cared deeply for. Someone who felt a deep connection with. Tron was someone who he could talk with, embrace, hold for security, kiss-
Wait. What was he thinking? He had those false memories removed. Clu reprogrammed Alan to love him and Rinzler. No he did not, did he?
"We need to get back," Kevin said. "I'll return to help repair the damage I've done."
"You did not do this." Fara said. "Clu did." She pointed at an odd chamber that was shaped like a wardrobe. It was all black with soft white light illuminating it and the top had a dark blue window. There was the something inside that window in the shape of a human head.
"He's alive?" Sam asked.
"His body did not derezz," Shadox explained. "We can't figure out why. He's unresponsive, motionless with a disk half embedded into him. We had no idea what to do with him."
"Pull the plug," Lora said in a tone that frightened Alan. "Finish the job."
"Mom?" Jet asked in a weak tone.
"He caused so much pain and misery," Lora said.
"Lora I can't," Kevin said. "I'm the one who failed him."
"He's not your child," Lora said.
"I am responsible for him."
"You can't possibly think of repairing him."
"I can," Kevin said. "I will fix my mess."
"Dad, you are not going to go six million dollar man on him," Sam told him.
"I have to do something," Kevin said and sighed. "After the grid and these other poor souls." He motioned at the still reprogrammed soldiers.
"Kevin this is yours," Alan said. "I just want to get back home and relax."