AN: Thanks to Krisdaughter of Athena, A. , BetaReject, an anonymous reader, estefanny1110, Juliet Knighly and 111111777777 for their reviews! I love to read your feedback and theories, guys, keep them flowing!

As for the question I asked at the end of the previous chapter, it's still pending. There's no clear majority and I won't have to make the decision immediately, so don't hesitate to voice your preference :)

"That's a lot of coincidences. Too many for my taste."

Up to this point, she hadn't been one hundred percent sure. Maybe ninety, ninety five. But the way Beck's shoulders suddenly tensed didn't leave any doubt in her mind. She drew her disk and activated it a few centimeters from his exposed neck. She didn't want to hurt him - yet - but she wouldn't have a choice if he tried to resist. Might as well prevent any rash move! Then she asked, because she had to hear it from him.

"How long have you been helping the Renegade, Beck?"

Paige expected a lot of things, but not the reaction she got. He didn't deny. He didn't confess. He didn't crumble under the evidence. He didn't try to find out if he could move faster than her disk. He simply turned his head to make eye contact with her, a curious look on his face.

"Excuse me?"

A lot of programs had tried to play dumb with her since she'd joined the army and she almost rolled her eyes, but there was something different. Beck didn't look like he was trying to trick her. He seemed genuinely... confused? He probably thought he'd never get caught. The realization made her angry. This stupid, idealistic, impetuous mechanic had had the gall to join the rebellion, right under her nose, and he had hoped to get away with it ? She brought her disk even closer to his neck and asked again.

"You heard me. How long have you been helping the Renegade?

- Helping the Renegade... right. Of course! Sorry commander, I had a long day and just when I thought I could get some rest, my ex-girlfriend apparently decided to derezz me, so...

- I'm not your ex-girlfriend! And if I wanted to derezz you, I'd already have!

- Then would you mind..."

Beck slowly raised his hands and started to turn around, keeping a safe distance with the whirling orange edge. They were now facing each other, Paige's disk between them. The mechanic didn't seem to notice and insisted on his previous point.

"We were dating, I think it makes you my ex-girlfriend.

- We weren't dating.

- Didn't you dump me?

- I had to!

- Well you can't dump someone you're not dating, commander."

Ok, I guess he has a point. Tesler and Pavel thought we were dating, too... maybe they're right and I'm just afraid of commitment because... wait. How did we get there? She had been lost in her thoughts for a few seconds. Clever little son of a gridbug! Her disk was now pointed at the ground and Paige raised it back to Beck's throat. Then she waved away this silly discussion and got back to the point.

"I doesn't matter anymore, Beck. You're a rebel and I'm an Occupation soldier. I have to arrest you.

- Will you?"

His tone wasn't provocative, nor frightened. Beck sounded genuinely curious and maybe a little worried. Does he seriously think that I'm not going to... realization hit her. Paige actually didn't know what she was going to do. She knew what she should do, of course: put lightcuffs on his wrists and take him to the prison to be thoroughly interrogated. But that wasn't what she wanted to do. She wanted to... to what? You can't let him go just because he saved you. Twice. He works for the other side, the enemy! Or does he? There it was. The beginning of a solution. She replied in her most neutral voice.

"Maybe not. You could prove useful."

Beck's face immediately closed off.

"I'm not going to betray the revolution, commander.

- I'm not asking you to betray anyone. And will you stop calling me commander, for Clu's sake?

- That's what you are. Who you are.

- Not long ago you were calling me Paige and it worked just as well."

That was a mistake. His cold formality had hurt her but she shouldn't have showed it. Paige knew it as soon as the words left her treacherous lips, and the slight smile on Beck's face confirmed it beyond doubt. She had to keep going before he had a chance to take the inadvertent bait.

"Anyway, I want you to... to deliver a message.

- What kind of message?

- I want to meet the Renegade."

They were both stunned by her words. Somehow, Paige had not admitted that it was what she had in mind before hearing herself say it out loud. She wanted to meet the Renegade. She wanted to know why he saved her, to ask him about Tron and the unknown program who had derezzed civilians in his name. That would be treason... or necessary investigation? Clu needs to know what's going on. Beck probably doesn't have the answers, but he's the key to the Renegade. This reasoning would presumably not convince Tesler, if he were to find out what she was up to, but it would do for now. Her momentary prisoner could not read her mind, however, and looked understandably suspicious.

"And why would the Renegade want to meet you?

- To discuss certain matters.

- Like his arrest?

- No. I mean, yes, but I doubt we could agree on that. I have other subjects in mind.

- It's quite an obvious trap.

- Come on Beck, my traps are more clever than that! I just want to talk to him! And if you don't want to deliver the message, I might as well take you to the prison right now.

- That won't be necessary. I'll tell him."

The idea seemed to amuse him. Paige frowned. I just blew his cover and he's up to something new already? Is he ever going to learn?

"Don't make me regret this offer. You promise you will?

- I promise... Paige."

Hearing her name from him, even in such circumstances, felt strangely good. She almost managed to suppress her smile before it reached her lips. Almost. Beck couldn't miss it and his tone was undeniably cheerful when he resumed the conversation.

"Well I'm glad we could reach an agreement! Breaking out of prison would have been boring without you."

She grunted.

"You couldn't even leave your cell without me, mechanic.

- You'd be surprised, but I hope you're going to take my word. Trying and showing you wouldn't make for a fun date.

- For the last time, Beck, we were... we are not dating!

- But we have to. It's your duty."

Paige was floored. My duty ? Alright, I'll bite.

"Please enlighten me.

- We've established that I'm part of the resistance.

- Of the rebellion.

- If you will. Yet you don't intend to arrest me.

- That could change very soon..."

He waved her objection away, like he didn't take her seriously. And she realized he was right. She liked the mechanic. He was misguided, a little bit annoying sometime, but fundamentally sympathetic. Plus he has saved me twice. It would take at least Beck revealing himself as the Renegade for her to seriously consider handing him over to Tesler! The thought amused her and didn't disturb her as much as it should have. Tesler had saved her too, she was loyal to him. Why did it feel like the right thing to protect the mechanic from him? Beck was fortunately impervious to her inner trouble and he carried on.

"Let's say it doesn't. Can you really let a dangerous rebel roam the city?

- You're not going anywhere, Beck. I'm watching over the garage, remember?

- Of course. But what happens at the end of the last shift, when the mechanics go home?

- I'll keep an eye on you.

- During my free time?

- Of course.

- On your own free time?

- It's not like I can explain the situation to Tesler, so yes.

- Then we'll be spending our free time together. Sounds like dating to me!"

Beck never knew how close he got to have his smirk kicked off his face.

They're still untrained. It's fine. At least, that was what Tron had to say to himself to remain calm. They were going so slowly! Of the thirteen programs following him, three were passable drivers and a fourth one - Mara - was obviously trying her best. The others were overly cautious, driving like every rock was a potential contact mine. Even before my lessons, Beck was bolder than that... it took a literal abyss to find his first limits!

But Beck was one of a kind and that was precisely the reason why the old monitor had chosen him. It took more than a gifted program to make a revolution and he might as well get used to training more... ordinary students. Fine. Let's start now, then. He braked and waited for his recruits to gather around him.

"You know... a slow lightcycle is actually more likely to fall in a crevasse."

He sped away before anyone could react, grinning under his visor. A short glance back proved him that the warning had been understood: the thirteen bikes were now tailing him. He wasn't going as fast as he could, obviously, but it was a lot better now. It didn't take them long to reach the bridge. Tron slowed down a little bit as the structure rezzed itself in front of his lightcycle. It was Able's work, and the old mechanic had been quite proud of it. Maybe Mara would like to know that later.

Once they let the bridge behind them, it was only a matter of minutes to the hideout. When the last bike passed the elevator's doors, Tron let a satisfied sigh out.

"Alright, we're safe now. I've been hiding here for quite a long time, the Occupation won't find us. Until further notice, no one is to go outside without me. Understood?"

A collective yes answered him.

"I'll show you around and we'll... configure new quarters for you. The place is quite flexible."

The garage didn't impress them, of course. Something told him that they would quickly find ways to upgrade it, which would prove useful in the foreseeable future. If the hideout was to become a decent base of operations, it would need more infrastructure than the medicalized bachelor flat it had been so far.

The simulation room, on the other hand, caused a buzz of admiring exclamations. Ironic, considering they'll probably come to hate this place... or the training sessions it was going to host, at least. Tron finally brought them to the main level and let them rush toward the window. The Outlands were beautiful in their way, especially with Argon's lights in the far background. After a few moments of contemplation, the householder clapped his hands to get the attention of his guests.

"You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the view later."

No, they won't, because you're going to make sure they're either training, resting or cursing you under their breath when they think you can't hear them. Beck had been lucky to have to share his time between Tron and Able, even if he had probably not seen things that way. The new recruits, however, couldn't use that excuse. Their time belonged to Tron... and he intended to make full use of it.

"We passed a storage level when we came from the simulation room. You're going to rezz your accommodation there. A mechanic helped me build this place, I'm sure you'll be able to tweek it a little."

They all left, except for Mara. Seeing that she was not following, a mechanic - Beck's other friend, Zod, Zed or something - tried to stay too, but she motioned him to go with the rest of them. It slightly annoyed Tron, who had planned to tell the whole group about Able's fate. They'd probably be glad to learn that their former boss had been part of the very Uprising they just joined. But the blue-haired program had thought that the Renegade was the one behind Able's death. And he was the Renegade, as far as his new recruits were concerned, so a private interview might be welcome to dissipate any potential remaining doubts.

He answered her silent question with a slight nod and she walked to him. Where to start? From the beginning, I guess...

"The first time I met Able, I was in a very bad way..."

Thank you for reading, criticism welcome !