The Return

Chapter 9

Tae and Jimin went into their apartment for the night to give Yumi some privacy.

I knew she was already afraid of what we would find out, so she thanked me when I told them to go.

"I'm going to need you to have the least amount of clothes on, so the scan will get a clearer image." I asked hoping she wouldn't think I was trying to take advantage of the situation or for her to think I was being perverted. I focused on getting the machine ready as she took off most of her clothes. She kept her underwear and under shirt she had on.

I told her to lie down on the table and to relax. The scanner was just about ready when I looked at her. I could tell she was stressed.

"It's going to be OK." I reassured her.

She took in a deep breath. "Okay I'm ready..."

Her courage was amazing to me. She's been through so much in a short amount of time.

For her to trust me enough without really knowing me made me feel kind of special.

The machine moved slowly up her body as it scanned. Once it was done she sat up and I gave her a blanket, so she wouldn't freeze on the table.

As the images were developing on the screen she spoke up.

"So, this should show us if there's anything wrong with me?"

"Well I'm not fully equipped here for humans, but it will show us your skeletal structure and maybe anything else inside your body."

The machine beeped as the images showed up on the screen.

My jaw almost dropped to the ground.

"This can't be possible..."

She looked at the images and somehow understood them.

"I-I'm a cyborg..."

Her skeletal structure was entirely machine. Her organs were also machine but placed and made like a human's internal system. She has a mechanical heart as well that is powering her body. The work was unlike anything I had ever seen.

I looked at her with a new curiosity. Her flesh seemed so real.

"May I?" I wanted to touch her skin.

She nodded giving me permission. I switched on my ability to feel for this part of the test.

I touched her cheek first. The flesh was warm to the touch and really did feel real and not synthetic like mine.

I checked her jawline. The metal was crafted for it to feel like there was bone underneath.

I gently pressed either side of her neck going down. Each tendon was in place. It would be almost impossible to tell she was a cyborg.

I haven't allowed myself to feel physically in so long I was almost overwhelmed just from this. Her pulse was strong but was very realistic. It did, however feel more like electrical currents something no one would know unless touching her neck like this. Or in Tae's case touching her hand.

I reached her collarbone and stopped myself. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.

There's just one more test I wanted to do.

"I need to know what your skin is made of is it OK if I just prick your finger?"

She nodded. I could tell she was in a state of shock.

I took a sterile needle and poked her finger. Taking a piece of her flesh which, I put into a vial. I put it into the machine to tell me what it was made of. It would take 24 hours to process.

"What about my brain?" She was looking at the scans.

I looked and understood what she meant. It was like the material her skull was made of made it impossible for the scan to see her brain.

"Must be a new way to protect it from damage..." She stared blankly, lost in thought.

"Are you OK?"

"Y-yeah... I'm just shocked. I really thought I was human... And I feel like there are more questions then answers. Why would someone make a cyborg that could pass as a human?"

She had a good question.

She got up and put the rest of her clothes back on.

"This is a lot to process." She added.

"It is but I promise we'll figure this out. I'll try to decipher the codes Tae sent me. Everything is going to be OK." I was trying to reassure her. I know how she must be feeling. At least to an extent. I walked her back to my apartment, she was still in a kind of daze. I hope sleeping it off will help her feel a bit better. I really sucked at comforting people.

I went to my office and downloaded the images Tae sent me.

They all looked like a bunch of gibberish. It might take me weeks to decipher it all.

I started with the parts that seemed easier to understand. I hated this dark feeling I had. The feeling JK01 could be behind this in some way.

A few hours passed by and I heard a faint knock at my office door.

"Yeah?"

Yumi shyly came in.

"You ok?"

"I... Uh... I can't fall asleep..." she was playing with her fingers. A way to calm her nerves I assume. Finding out your body isn't human messes with your mind. And the fact she might have gone through horrible things would make it hard to sleep.

I remember it took me months before I was able to fall asleep without having flashbacks of the terrors I experienced.

I shut off my computer and walked her back to the apartment.

I don't know why I was doing this. It just felt like it was the right thing to do for her. She got back into bed and I laid on the couch that was near her.

"I'll sleep here for the night, so you won't feel alone. Maybe that'll help?"

"I could take the couch. I don't want to kick you out of your own bed..."

"Its fine. Really." I reassured her.

She laid down finding a comfortable spot.

"Thank you..." She closed her eyes and I could see her body relaxing. She seemed so human. I watched her as I lost track of time. She was beautiful. Yeah, she was manufactured that way, but she was beautiful none the less.

She didn't have to save me at the subway station, but she did. She was brave enough to do those tests and she wasn't afraid to come to me when she couldn't rest easily.

Did I really make her feel that safe?

The lights from the city moved around the room making her skin and hair glisten in assorted colors.

Mesmerized, darkness took over my vision and I drifted off to sleep for the first time in days.