Tron Legacy by Alice Alfonsi Read Free Book Online

seemed over.
    “Quorra will show you to your room,” said Kevin. “good night, Sam.”
    Quorra led Sam into a wide, seemingly endless corridor.
    “How can he be so afraid of his own creation?” Sam asked her. “dad built Clu. Why can’t he end him?”
    Quorra frowned. “He could, but it would require integration.”
    “All right, so why not—?”
    “Your father would never survive the event,” she explained. “It would be the end of them both.”
    “Well, I’m not sitting around here until some plan magically presents itself,” Sam warned. “If dad refuses to act, then I will.”
    “How?” Quorra whispered.
    “I’m going through the Portal. Clu wants dad’s disc, not mine. Clu actually had my disc and handed it right back.” Sam shook his head. “I’m going to get out. I’m going to find Alan Bradley, and we’re going to figure this thing out on the other side. It might be Clu’s game here, but in my world he’s gone in a keystroke.”
    Sam clenched his fists. “Only I can’t do anything until someone helps me get to the Portal. My gut tells me you don’t want to be stuck here for eternity, either.”
    Quorra’s eyes were wide. “I really think you should consider your father’s wisdom,” she argued.
    “I have,” said Sam.
    After a long silence, Quorra gave Sam what looked like a business card. An odd symbol glowed in one corner. When Sam took the tiny plastic square, a holographic map appeared before his eyes.
    “There’s someone I once knew,” Quorra said. “A program named Zuse, who fought alongside the ISOs. I haven’t seen him in a long time, but they say he still runs the underground.”
    Sam studied the floating map.
    “Zuse forges data for rogue programs, moves them around the grid,” Quorra explained. “They say he can get anyone anywhere.”
    “Then he can get me to the Portal,” Sam said. “How do I find Zuse?”
    Quorra pointed to a spot on the map. “This is his sector. Make it there alive and…he’ll find you.”



SAM REVVED THE ENGINE ON HIS DAD’S LIGHT CYCLE . The chopper may have been vintage, but it moved. Which was good. Sam didn’t have any time to waste. He had to get to Zuse.
    Sam streaked a blazing path across the Outlands’ ebony landscape. Everything except the skyline in the distance was carbon black. Sam focused on the flickering energy of the grid’s main city, glowing with unique particles of light.
    As the lights grew brighter, Sam spotted a long, narrow bridge. He crossed it, entering into what Quorra told him was referred to as the Old City.
    The streets were tangled and twisted here, but Sam didn’t feel lost. This part of the city’s digital metropolis was a reflection of the real one he’d lived in all his life. On the other hand, Sam noticed some disturbing differences.
    This Old City showed more decay than the one back home. The roving Sentries and barbed wire looked wrong to Sam, too. But he recognized the layout well enough. He even knew that with a few turns he would be at his dad’s arcade—or at least this digital domain’s version of it.
    “This is a restricted area,” a metallic voice boomed through the dreary streets. “Authorized programs only. violators without functionality or residence confirmation will be deleted…”
    Sam noticed Sentries up ahead. They were stopping passing programs and checking their disc Ids.
    Better look for cover, Sam thought.
    He ducked into an alley across from Flynn’s arcade. As he parked his dad’s cycle, he noticed a destitute program sleeping nearby. Sam traded his blue arena baton for the defeated program’s ragged poncho. disguised now, Sam ventured onto the main street.
    “Sam Flynn?”
    Turning, he recognized the pretty program approaching him. This was the head Siren, the same living statue who had helped Sam suit up before he entered the arena. She looked more conventional now, wearing street clothes and carrying an umbrella.
    “Do you remember me?” she asked.
    Sam