Tron: Deliverance

ROCK_AND_ROLL_MIX

Paige watched the checkpoint with narrowed eyes. It would be any moment now. The Black Guards on duty didn't look particularly alert. This was the perfect time to strike.

Then, with a crackle and bang, the Jolly tricksters appeared. They splattered the checkpoint and most of the surrounding walls with free code. Washing the area in purple and blue light.

The words 'Tron Lives' flickered to life. The Black Guards were both unconscious. Unable to report the disturbance. But Paige wasn't worried about that. They had specifically struck a few minutes before they shift change. New guards would by around any moment to report this incident.

She perked her head to the sound of two more colossal bangs just up the street. That would be the other two checkpoints getting painted with code.

'This is Tara, reporting in. Code deployed' one of the trickster team leaders announced over the net.

'This is Chee. Bombs away" came the other voice.

"Ok, tricksters. Time to scatter. Go to your rendezvous points and disappear" Hilda's unusually calm and measured tone came over the channel as she gave the order.

There was a quick chorus of affirmatives and the line went quiet. She nodded to Jet, who began speaking over his own channel to the Users hidden in another part of the city. The ambush party.

"Alright Renegade. Rasket and me are the only ones left out in the open. You need anything from us before we run for it?" Hilda asked.

"Hold tight Hilda. I want to see if this works". Right on time, the next shift of guards marched around the corner. They ran forward with surprise towards the downed programs and the splattered code. They shouted loudly into their communicators. Paige kept her eyes on the horizon. Beck should be leaving the central command building any second to come eradicate the tricksters. It would only be a few more minutes.

There was a shifting behind her. She turned to see Hilda and Rasket appear on the roof top.

Jet, his helmet and hood up, still managed to look happy as he waved at them.

Gem, the most visible of their group was crouched in the most shadowed portion of the roof top.

The lady renegade turned back and watched the sky near the command building for a few more minutes. Her anxiety growing steadily. It was silent. Too silent.

"I'm not seeing Ronin anywhere" Rasket said in a nervous tone. He rubbed at the fissure of drained cubes near his elbow. Below that point was nearly translucent blue light. He had lost his arm to one of Pavel's many torture devices. Paige couldn't begrudge him his anxiety with another commander from CLU's army about to arrive.

But she flinched as he spoke Beck's new name. The one Dyson and CLU had given him.

"Commander Ronin is usually deployed within a few minutes of an incident like this. It's strange that he's not here yet" Hilda mused, her voice somehow still melodic through her helmet filters.

Paige grunted, her displeasure growing with each passing moment. Where was he?

Silence.

More black guards appeared and started to clean up the free code. But no Commander. Nothing. Paige clenched her fists.

"Uh, Paige? He's supposed to be here by now right?" Jet said hesitantly.

"Usually he would have been here almost instantly. We've been nearly caught more times than I can count. This is....out of character for Ronin" Hilda supplied the answer.

They waited a few minutes more. Still nothing.

"It wasn't big enough. Either that or he's too busy with something else. Which can't be good" Paige assessed darkly.