Tron: Deliverance

ACCESSING ARCHIVE DATA: MOD ATTACK

Mara grunted, calling his attention back to her "Im sending you because I trust your judgment. If you say these guys aren't Uprising material then we wont waste our time trying to bring them on"

"So Im your talent scout?" Zed smirked and leaned forward "Cause Im a great judge of character? very happy to see you finally realize my value around here"

Paige sniffed "Isnt this the mechanic that trusted Bartik and Hopper and tried to join my anti-renegade task force? You think he's a good judge of character?"

Mara leaned back and rubbed her eyes "He's learned a lot. We've all gained a lot of experience since CLU's forces came to town. Hes made mistakes, but hes lived to tell the tale. Which is more than can be said for a lot of programs"

"Yeah! I got survivability" Zed snapped at the turncoat commander.

Paige scanned him up and down, unimpressed.

"Well, I suppose a solo assignment will be an excellent way to see what you've got, mechanic"

Zed scoffed "In case you forgot Paige, Ive been in the Uprising longer than you. Don't act like Im some kinda newbie fresh out of beta"

Paige chuckled and stood "I guess that's true. But which of us spent the cycle destroying occupation tanks, and which of u spent the cycle repairing them?"

"We cant all be the 'lady-renegade' I guess" he muttered with a hard sarcastic edge. Paige smirked and darkened her lines, tapping a hidden panel on the wall that opened to the secret passage that Zed has crafted into the office. He was no architect but he was quite proud of the camouflage routine he'd built from scratch.

She shimmered out of sight as she moved into the passage.

"Which of us spent the day blowing up tanks?" He mocked in a high falsetto voice "Well maybe some of us have an actual job!"

Mara slid a data packet across her desk. "Here's a map of the district with hot spots of activity and basic info on the programs you need to tail"

Zed keyed the file to open and skimmed through it.

"And whatever Paige says, I'm counting on you for this one Zed. But your first priority is to make it back here OK? I cant lose you over a recruiting mission" her eyes were wide and pained. This was hard for her. He swallowed past a knot of pain stopping his throat. He forced a wide smile.

"I get it. The garage will be short staffed without your best mechanic and engineer extraordinaire. Not to worry boss. Ill get back in one piece"

Mara reached forward slowly and put a hand over his. "You're not just my best mechanic Zed. You know that. I'm not losing anyone else alright?"

He flipped his hand upward so he was holding hers. He stood up so he could reach over the desk and tap his forehead against hers. Her signature pinged up and down his body. Like syncing with a vehicle, but a thousand times stronger. Exhilaration and joy all wrapped into one.

"Hey, Ill be back before you know it with some crack recruits. Your best mechanic, engineer extraordinaire and expert judge of character guarantees it"

She finally gave him a real smile and squeezed his hand.

"Well get going then. Ill see you tomorrow"

.............

So, that whole promise to Mara to not die on the very simple recruiting mission?

Yeah....

Zed wasn't liking his odds so much anymore.

The transport district was a complicated web of train tracks, roads and docks. With storage facilities that provided lots of spots for deadly and homicidal programs to hide. Zed sprinted down an alley and ducked into a dockhouse. A storage facility with access to the seaport. It was about midway through the night cycle so there weren't many programs out and about. Except for those that were trying to murder him that was.