CHAPTER 2

Sam's eyes darted around the room; blue neon strips lined the edges of the walls, above him he saw more neon strips, these formed a circle above him and almost resembled a giant identity disc. Sam's gaze continued to flit around the room as he slowly knelt down and laid Quorra gently on the floor. Sam stood and took a few steps forward, he and Quorra had been standing on a kind of alter raised a little from the ground by a small staircase. Sam jumped as the walls suddenly flickered to life around him in a soft white light, a pang of pain shot through him reminding him not to make any sudden movements; he held his hand over his shoulder and felt a trickling stream of wet warm blood he hadn't dared look at his wound he didn't know how bad it was, he didn't need to know, what he needed was to make sure Quorra and himself were safe before they could make a move. A soft sliding noise filled the room; Sam quickly turned his attention to the direction it had come from and winced in pain, he cursed the pain and then himself for moving too quickly.

Sam watched as a figure stood in the doorway silhouetted by the light of the room; Sam could see that the figure was wearing a light suit but the design was unlike anything he had seen before.

"Son of Flynn…" The words were a deep whisper and filled Sam with dread, no one friendly called him Son of Flynn.

The figure began to approach Sam revealing itself to be much larger than Sam had originally realised; Sam took a step back, had he had his Identity Disc he would have reached for it… The figure continued to approach Sam whoever it was they were twice the height and width of Sam. Still taking small steps backwards Sam almost tripped up the first step of the alter, the figure was standing over him now; a dark skinned dreadlocked man was standing in front of him numerous blue neon beads lined his face and hair, his light suit appeared to be more of a collection of robes than a one piece suit and it was baggy, the sleeves hanging down covering his hands and dangling neon tassels, he reminded Sam of a shaman. The dark man took a deep breath and slowly crouched to his knees in front of Sam and then bowed his head to the ground, his forehead kissing the floor and there he stayed.

Sam looked to the door of the room then back down to the stranger and back and forth and then around the room, Quorra still lay unconscious on the floor; an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Sam tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, he tried to speak but only made a gargling sound; he cleared his throat and tried again.

"Ummm… rise? Person…" Sam mentally slapped himself for assuming such a dominant role over a person who could quite clearly kick his ass.

The stranger slowly raised his head and looked up at Sam; Sam nodded his head in response as the stranger stood. Sam stared at the stranger trying to read his eyes…

"Son of Flynn." The stranger said again, his words had an obvious awe stricken tone to them. He continued to stare at Sam.

"Yeah… and you are...?"

"Forgive me, my name is Gate. We have been awaiting your return Son of-"

"-My name's Sam, you can use that, easier for everyone concerned."

"Forgive me, Sam." Gate's face desperately tried to contain an excited smile in the same way a young girl meeting a pop star would.

"So where are we, Gate?"

"We call this place The Sanctuary… it is a haven for all programmes, its walls shield us from The Evil."

All at once Sam's eyes widened and his heart sunk. If there was one word he hadn't wanted to hear upon arriving at the grid it was the word evil along with the words dying, death and dead. Sam hadn't responded in words to Gate before he started speaking again.

"The turn of the tide is finally upon us now that you have returned, Sam."

Sam's head drooped slightly in quite acceptance of the fact that things had probably gone from bad to worse for both himself and Quorra. Sam caught himself thinking that nothing Gate could say now would be anything the he would want to hear. Sam's mind raced through the three years he and Quorra had spent outside of The Grid and how Quorra had fallen in love with his reality, his reality had turned on Quorra just as this one had on him. Sam's thoughts grew darker remembering mankind's reaction to Quorra and what they proceeded to do to her for over a year while they violently searched for answers through procedures and sciences instead of listening to her words…

"You're injured…" Gate's words snapped Sam's mind back into the present, he glanced down at his shoulder and wished he hadn't, quickly he turned to Quorra and ascended the stairs towards her, knelt down beside her and gently cradled her in his arms.

"She needs more help than I do; I'll be fine just help her if you can."

Gate nodded as Sam picked up Quorra and brought her forward. Quorra was heavy in Sam's arms, heavier than before, Sam tried to ignore his fleeting strength as he approached Gate; Sam wanted to carry Quorra out of the room, he didn't want to put her in the hands of anyone he couldn't fully trust.

Beads of sweat rolled down Sam's face as he reached the first step of the alter; each step he took sent a shockwave of pain through his body; he reached the bottom. Sam tried to catch his breath before continuing the walk out of the room, his head was pounding, his legs felt limp; he could feel his body shaking… tears filled Sam's eyes, he wanted to take that first step forward but his legs were still, he wanted to hold Quorra closer but he could barely feel her body pressing against his. Sam took a deep shaking breath and forced that first step forward. Sam screamed in defeat and rage as he fell to his knees and then to the floor with Quorra in his arms.

Sam felt a hand on his shoulder; Sam's first reaction was to hold Quorra tighter with all of the strength he had left.

"Sam…" For a moment gate's voice sounded familiar, like a warm cherished memory from long ago.

Sam continued to hold Quorra in his limp arms; Gate's shovel like hand easily peeled Sam's body away from Quorra, Sam sat on his knees helplessly as he watched Gate pick her up and hold her gently in his arms. Four smaller but similarly dressed figures appeared behind Gate. Sam's vision blurred as the figures approached him, he shook his head trying to remain conscious but his vision blurred again, the room titled violently and the room became lost in a haze. Sam slowly closed his eyes as the four figures stood over him.