Pink, Rising

{[CHAPTER 2]}

I emerged from sleep mode to find my datapad ringing off the hook. Sitting up, I grabbed it off my dresser next to my light cycle rod. 

Along with the daily propaganda garbage that regularly cluttered my inbox, there was a news report. On an attack in Argon Square that happened last night. Probably the attack I witnessed from the balcony. 

My suspicions were confirmed when I read that a Recognizer had been downed. I had seen that. There might have been a few exaggerations, but I didn't really care. I had seen The Renegade...in action. 

Should I tell Ferz? Maybe...I'd have to see how he was doing this morning. He seemed so torn up about Max's derezzment....

I picked up my light cycle rod and exited my apartment. Looking around, there was no trace of the incident from last night. The graffiti and pixels were gone. The hallway was deserted. 

I knocked on Ferz's door. "Ferz? You alive in there?" No reply. I knocked again. "Ferz, look, if you need to talk to someone about...you know... I'm here." No reply again. "Ferzex! You're worrying me!"

 I tried his door, and it was unlocked. "Ferz? I'm coming in, don't be scared." Then I walked in. 

His apartment was deserted. His light cycle rod wasn't on the kitchen counter like it usually was. And there was something on his table. A miniprojector. 

A note next to the projector said, "For Arra" I looked at it. Somehow, he knew I would come looking for him. I switched it on. His face appeared. He looked tired. Spent, somehow. 

"Arra. If you're listening to this then that means I've already left. Not derezzed, just...I'm not going to be going back home. Not anytime soon" He sighed "I'm not even sure I should be telling you this... But I needed to go. Last night was the last straw. I can't sit idly by anymore."

"I'm not the Renegade, I can tell you that much. I am, however, not going to sit by and watch innocent programs be oppressed and trampled on by Tesler or his chums anymore. I'm going to fight. I'm going to stop Tesler once and for all. I'm going to be my own Renegade, help the Renegade. Help Tron." His eyes were steely now. "I don't care if you turn this in to the authorities. In fact, I'm daring you to. I want them to know that I, Ferzex, am officially not letting myself be trampled on. I'm going to fight." The hologram's eyes seemed to stare into my code. "The question is, will you join me?" Then it clicked off.

I seemed frozen. Absolutely frozen. All time seemed to slow and stop. Ferz was going to fight? He'd die! Be derezzed! 

There was only one way to save him - turn this in to the authorities. Have them search for him. Sure, they'd probably send him to the games. But...at least I'd know where he was. And when he died. Instead of not knowing if he was dead or alive. Uncertainty about anything was my worst fear. 

I'm sure there was a part of me saying that turning Ferz in was wrong, somehow. That that'd be betraying him. But not only did I want him safe, I wanted to know his whereabouts. Even if it killed him, I wanted to know if or when he died 

With that thought in mind I hurried out of the apartment complex with the recording in my hand and down the street to the guardpost. I'd never stepped foot in it before, didn't need to. But now I did. 

The building was tall, with imposing orange lines stretching skyward. Programs headed in and out in an almost steady stream - conducting business as usual or otherwise. Gripping the recording tightly in my hand (So much that I was afraid I'd break it) I headed inside. 

The line was long - some twenty - odd programs were waiting for their turns. I looked around the lobby. It looked almost like the railway stations - a line of booths with a program behind it, almost like you'd buy a ticket from them. The booths were labeled different things, like "City Directory" and "Home Security." Benches were everywhere. The building was white, with orange stripes. There were guards everywhere.