AN: So here's chapter thirty. I can't believe I'm down to thirty chapters already... seems like yesterday this was nothing more than an idea floating in my head. Thanks to 2theSky, PrincessKai733 and Sunofaia for reviewing! They're always appreciated!
Chapter Thirty
Amusement coursed through Mira as she watched Rinzler play with the lights on the screen Tron had opened. She had returned to the safehouse to find Tron actually playing with Rinzler. Mira had never seen a more amusing sight, and she wondered how long it would take for the security program to notice her arrival.
Tron suddenly whirled around when Rinzler bounded towards her. Mira restrained a laugh when Rinzler jumped into her open arms. His expression was difficult to read, but Mira could see that he was annoyed with her sudden return.
"I see you two are finally getting along," she cooed when Rinzler snuggled against her. Mira couldn't help but smile when she looked down at him. After everything that had happened she was thankful to have someone she could cuddle with.
"So how did it go?" Tron's gaze never left Rinzler as he studied the little creature.
"Not bad," she replied with a shrug. "Paige is... not what I expected from a commander."
Mira tilted her head to one side as Tron walked out of the room. He was hiding something, she could see it in his eyes. She tried to recall whether or not he had any past relationships, than tossed the ideas aside. Tron wasn't one to waste time with female programs, not when he had the Grid to protect.
She decided not to dwell on it as she headed for the stairs. Rinzler followed her and jumped onto the bed as soon as they reached the upper level. Mira smirked when she watched him curl up. Rinzler always covered his nose with his tail. Mira wondered if every cat was like that.
She fell onto the bed after shaking off the exhaustion. There was no point in continuing on for that cycle. Her thoughts may have been churning with anxiety after her night out with Beck and Paige, but she still needed sleep. As soon as her eyes closed sleep came easily for her.
. . .
Her eyes snapped open as soon as she heard the doors swing open. Mira rose from her bed to see that Beck had returned. Rinzler was waiting for her beside the stairs, and again she smirked. He seemed to know better than to run off on his own. At least when Tron was out of his healing chamber.
Mira walked down the stairs to see that Beck's expression was filled with anxiety. To her surprise Tron was nowhere to be seen.
"What's wrong?" she asked when she folded her arms.
"Paige and I were captured by Pavel," he explained in a rushed voice. Mira's eyes narrowed accusingly when she realized where he had been. Beck shook his head in frustration before he looked away. "Paige was sent to the games as some kind of punishment, and it's my fault."
"So what do you want me to do?" Rinzler stood between them, looking at her and Beck as if to figure out what was going on.
"We're going to free her from the games," Beck replied. Mira held back a sigh when she heard the hope in his voice. She doubted Paige would thank them for saving her. "If we rescue her she'll join us."
Mira looked at him doubtfully before nodding in agreement. She didn't want to crush his hopes, not when she wasn't sure if he was right. Maybe Paige would agree to join them if she understood the truth behind Clu's lies. Or she would turn them in faster than they could say his name.
She followed him out of the safehouse, still wondering where Tron had disappeared off to. Maybe he knew what had happened with Beck and Paige. Either way it was strange that he didn't bother showing up. She grabbed the spare light jet baton she normally used before heading for the coliseum.
Beck had already gone ahead with his own light jet. Mira followed suit and hovered around the coliseum, watching curiously as she spotted Paige fighting several soldiers at once. Her eyes widened in dismay when she realized that it was a fight to the end duel.
"I'll fly under the coliseum, you keep an eye from above," Beck ordered after a few nanocycles had passed.
Mira nodded in agreement and flew higher up. They had changed attire after leaving the safehouse. Beck wasted no time in reaching the underside of the coliseum, while she focused on the next program Paige was forced to fight.
Her eyes widened in horror when she recognized Pavel throwing his weight into the fight. The commander was using what appeared to be the upgrade weapon she had destroyed cycles ago. Mira's fists clenched around the handles when she realized that Pavel had found the second half of the disk. And now he was using it against one of Tesler's own commanders. She watched the scene unfold as Pavel slammed his disk into the floor, shattering the center so that Paige would fall in the pool of energy underneath.
She could hear the crowd roaring with excitement as they prepared for the commander's fall. Mira held her breath when she saw that Paige was holding on for dear life. Each slam of Pavel's boot on the floor caused her to slowly lose her grip. Mira breathed a sigh of relief when Beck flew under just as Paige began to fall. The crowd became even louder when Beck flew above the coliseum, towards her.
Mira saw where he was headed and followed as he led the way towards the bridge where the arches stood on. She turned her light jet back into a baton just in time to see Beck getting tossed across the arch. Paige's expression was filled with fury as she glared at Beck.
"You did this? Why?" she demanded coldly. "Now thanks to you I'll look even guiltier in front of Tesler!"
"We did this because you don't deserve to be treated that way," Beck tried to reassure her as Paige threw in merciless kicks and punches.
Paige was about to throw in another punch when she realized that they weren't alone.
"This wouldn't happen if you joined us. You're on the wrong side," Mira suggested after an uneasy silence fell between them.
"The renegades reign down chaos and mayhem, I could never join you," Paige spat.
"We're fighting for the freedom of the Grid," Beck insisted. "I'm fighting for you too." He added the last part in a softer voice, and Mira rolled her eyes once more.
"Then you've already lost," Paige retorted.
Mira watched as Paige jumped down from the arch and made a run for it. There was no point in arguing - Paige's mind was already made up. Mira glanced at Beck, concerned that Paige might have caused more than physical damage.
Without another word she rezzed her light jet and flew away from the arch, desperate to get away from the feelings of defeat. Paige was a hard-headed commander. Tesler had made certain that she became that way. There was no point in knocking sense into her head, no matter how much Beck wished he could. Mira looked over her shoulder to see that Beck was following.
They continued flying until they reached the edge of the city. Mira suddenly flew towards the streets and made a safe landing before sighing in annoyance. Her mask receded just as Beck made a landing nearby.
"That went well," she muttered sarcastically.
"Save it." Beck sounded more angry than annoyed. Mira eyed him curiously, and she noticed how truly defeated he looked. "You knew that was going to happen, didn't you?" He refused to meet her gaze, and Mira knew that he wished that Paige could have seen things their way.
"Paige is more hard-headed than Tron," she replied with a shake of her head. "Once something goes wrong she believes it's our fault."
Technically it usually was their fault that something would happen. But Paige didn't need to know that.
"So now what?" Mira tilted her head to one side as she wondered what else could go wrong this cycle.
"I guess we go back," Beck sighed. "I was supposed to meet her at the same spot we were arrested at."
"And that would be?" Mira raised an eyebrow as Beck turned to glare. She simply shook her head and rezzed her light cycle as soon as he rezzed his. Beck was taking the blow a little too seriously. Mira had a feeling that it would take time for him to recover.
Beck was leading her to a building near Argon Square. Mira tilted her head to one side when she saw pool tables inside. She got off of her light cycle to see that there were several programs inside. They were either playing a game of pool or chatting.
Mira watched in amusement as Beck grabbed a staff to use for the game. The balls were little bits of energy that disappeared when they smacked into one another. Mira leaned against the wall while Beck distracted himself with a game of pool. It seemed like cycles had passed before Paige wandered into the room. Programs looked up in surprise when the commander stood near Beck.
"You made it!" Beck exclaimed after knocking aside another ball. "I was afraid you'd be a no-show."
"I got my job back," Paige said when Mira straightened up. She noticed how the commander kept shooting her glares. "Don't worry, I made sure the guards wouldn't come after you."
Wouldn't be the first time they chased me, Mira thought with a roll of her eyes.
"Look, because I listened to you, I got distracted." Paige suddenly stopped Beck from getting any closer. She avoided his gaze and kept glaring at Mira. Mira tried not to glare back, but it was becoming unnerving. "And I can't keep this up. I'm sorry, but I can't see you again."
Paige finally looked Beck in the eye before leaving the room. Beck simply stared after Paige in disbelief when she disappeared. Anger churned within Mira when she saw how defeated Beck looked. His shoulders had dropped, and his expression was easy to read as he stared at the empty entrance. She bit her lip when she remembered what Tron had told her the cycle before.
"There are always going to be losses," she whispered.
"What?" Beck turned to look at her, but she refused to meet his gaze.
"Nothing." Mira finally looked up, and she saw nothing but confusion in Beck's eyes. "I should get back before curfew starts."
She glanced around to see that the programs around them had been watching. A few threw Beck cautious looks before returning to their games. Beck was still staring blankly at nothing, and for a moment Mira wondered if something was wrong.
With a final look at Beck she made her way out of the room and rezzed her light cycle. She kept an eye on the path ahead as she made her way back to the safehouse.
Mira did a double take when she realized that someone was following her as she swerved in and out of the traffic. She moved towards the right of the road just in time to see that Beck was following her. Mira held back a sigh of frustration as she pulled forward. She was in no mood to talk, not after watching the way Beck had reacted to Paige's rejection.
Beck wasn't planning on stopping though, and Mira could see that as they reached the Outlands. Recognizers were becoming more numerous now when she pulled on the breaks long enough for him to catch up.
"What?" she demanded when he pulled in beside her.
"Look, I know I messed up," he replied. "I only just realized that you and Tron were right."
"When I told him what happened to Keller he said there would always be losses," Mira admitted as they reached the safehouse.
"Guess I should've listened to him," Beck sighed. He looked up at the sky as more recognizers began flying towards the city. They were looking for strays or programs who were out after curfew.
"You should... go back before they catch you." Mira couldn't help but look away as she said that. Her thoughts were churning with anger, disappointment and something else. Some part of her had felt angry that Beck had gone out with Paige on his own earlier. But she knew that it was foolish to hold on to those feelings.
Beck gave her a final look before nodding in agreement. She watched as he sped off on his light cycle once more. This was one defeat that would take time to get over. And Mira knew that Paige wouldn't forget it anytime soon either.
AN: I always feel so bad when I see this episode. Beck's expression is just so... crushed. But I can understand why Paige turned him down, she thought they were putting one another's life in danger. Anyways don't forget to let me know what you thought of this chapter, and more are to come tomorrow :)
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