5
It's another night of blaring rock 'n roll and the beeps and boops of a hundred arcade games. Flynn's Arcade is a bit of a hot spot on a Friday night and usually the owner is having the time of his life beating an old high score on one of his favorite cabinets. Crowds would watch in excitement as yet another Recognizer is shot down with surprising accuracy or another Light-cycle combatant is forced into a wall at blinding speed . . .
Tonight is the one night that this isn't so . . .
"How long has he been like that?" one employee says to another at the snack bar.
"I dunno but, he hasn't touched his Pizza at all." the other remarks.
Flynn doesn't notice them as he just stares at his pizza slice like it's a piece of fine art that has some fantastic hidden meaning. He finally picks off a piece of pepperoni and bites into it, realizing it's cold. He immediately goes back to what he was doing before.
"Stupid pizza." Flynn mumbles to himself as he places his head in his hands.
Two of the arcade's employees, Carl and Sarah each take a seat at the table with Flynn. The two teens try a smile to see if it helps. "Mind if we sit here?" Carl asks.
"Shouldn't you be working?" Flynn inquires, raising an eyebrow.
"It's our break remember?" Sarah giggles.
". . . . Oh Yeah . . . Carl and Sarah, right?" He remembers.
"You feeling alright?" Carl asks, a strange mature look of concern on his face.
"I'm fine, it's just been a weird couple of days at ENCOM that's all."
"Would a round of 'Vice Squad' fix that?" Carl asks, showing a handful of quarters.
Flynn can't help but smile a little at the gesture. "No thanks. The rounds on me if you can beat my high score though." He smirks.
"Awesome!" Carl exclaims as he bolts into the arcade games.
Sarah watches him leave. She turns back to Flynn. "The idea was a joint effort to cheer you up you know."
"It's fine; I would do the same in his position. Why don't you spend your break doing something fun too?"
Sarah Shrugs. "I felt like you needed it more."
"look I'm fine, don't bother yourself with my problems . . . need quarters?"
Sarah can't help but laugh. "I'm good. I'll see you around! And cheer up!"
"Yeah, ok" Flynn says. He can't help but go back to brooding.
Suddenly Alan slams his hand onto the table. Flynn jumps back a little and sees Alan smiling. "Flynn, how's it going?"
Flynn just puts his head in his hands again. "I don't wanna talk about it."
Alan's smile slowly dissipates. "Rob . . .right?"
Flynn tries to nod with his head still resting on his hands.
Alan looks down at the floor for a second. He then pulls up a chair for himself.
"Flynn, I understand you're upset, but truthfully, was there really anything we could have down about it?" Alan comforts.
"Not killed him maybe?" Flynn retorts.
"It would have been the same if I was in your position. Curiosity did kill the cat, and it's only human to be curious."
"Thanks, but that doesn't really help."
Alan sighs. "Well I tried to contact his family, he didn't have much but his brother knows. In the meantime, I started writing the code and the legacy program. I did have to base some of the programming off of the MCP's, a similar program is the only way it's going to work."
Flynn lets out a little laugh. "I sure hope not, that thing ruined ENCOM."
"Well not completely the same, of course, but to get it to operate in the way the MCP did so that . . ."
"Yeah, yeah I get it."
"If you ever wanna see it just ask. It's in a protected folder on my PC, plus Tron's guarding it so it's our best kept secret right now."
"Great." Flynn moans.
"Are you really sure about letting the public use this at some point?"
"I'm not too sure about that now. After everything that's happened and the shock it had on Rob, I just don't know. It may be our best kept secret forever Alan."
"Well, it is up to you." Alan thinks for a moment. "What was it like to be in there anyway? Is it really like what you described it as?"
Flynn turns his head away from Alan. "It was like falling down the rabbit hole, man. It was everything I had ever wanted and more. It was the other side of the video game screen. It's just . . . unimaginable. I wish I could have done more there."
Alan is speechless. He gets out of the chair and picks up his suitcase.
"Well maybe with my program, you can." He says as he walks out the door of the arcade.
Flynn spends the next few hours just watching the arcade's patrons finally run out of money and head home. He closes up for the night and spends the rest of his time in his private office upstairs. He sits at his computer desk alone, thoughts whirring through his mind as he stares at his computer monitor.
"Someday I'll go back in there . . . Go back in and make it perfect."