The A.I. Protoforms

Chapter Four: Truth

"Wow, what a joke!"

Jensi stared at her in shock for a second, as she continued to stare at the ground. "We just said we knew what happened to your mom and you're calling it a joke? I'd think you'd be a little bit more happy to hear the news about-"

"Sometimes I wish I could get a break from people like you. I've had four police officers and one neighbor tell me that they know what happened to my mom. And you know what Jensi? They each told me different stories. And guess what? You're also telling me a whole different story. So shame on me I guess, that I don't believe you." Amaya interrupted him.

Jensi then stared at the ground. He even turned to look at Ivan and found that he was also staring at the smooth pavement of the police station.

Jensi was very unsure of how to word his next few sentences. Amaya wouldn't believe him. Not without proof anyway.

Suddenly Jensi had an idea. He motioned for Ivan to follow him to his car. Ivan got in the passenger side and shut the door.

"Okay." Ivan began, running his hands through his hair. "Amaya is never going to believe us until we have some concrete proof. So I say let's show her some proof. We can use this," He pulled out the gadget that had teleported them home. "to take us back to Roses' house and maybe that will be enough proof."

Ivan stared at him straight in the eyes, in disbelief. "Well I am taking this from you." He took the gadget from Jensi. "Because that was a horrible plan for many horrific reasons. First of all, do you really not think that Amaya has been home yet. And second, if that wasn't her home, then that brings me to my next point. It's way too dangerous. Imagine going back and that lunatic being there and shooting all of us this time. Something tells me that she wouldn't want evidence to be walking around. And right now, we are walking, endangered evidence. So I say we go to the school and tell Amaya to meet us there. We can walk her through step by step about what happened. Even if this doesn't work and she still doesn't believe us, then she can give us some insight into what her mom was doing there. She can drive, can't she?"

Jensi nodded, half amazed at how smart Ivan had been just then, and how dumb and incompetent he had made himself look in this moment.

Ivan continued, "Alright, you go tell her and let's meet at the school. Got it?"

"Yep." Jensi said getting out of the car and walking back to the begrudgingly Amaya, who rolled her eyes as he stood above her. "Alright, I know you said you didn't believe us, so we are willing to show you some real evidence. Proof that you can't argue with. Meet us at the school around 3:00 pm at the school." Jensi heaved a sigh, when Amayas facial expression lightened up and he hoped that his little white lie would work.

She replied with a simple "Ok," and continued looking at the concrete, sulking in her grief.

Jensi got back in the car as Ivan asked, "How did we not know that was her mom when we first saw her, but somehow now know?"

Jensi thought about it, and the more he did the more he realized that he had no idea. It was a question that they should've been asking ever since they had teleported to his street.

It was as if it had been implanted in their minds, when they had teleported.

He decided to brush off the question and drove off.

_______________________

Ivan sat staring at his feet, while they waited for Amaya to come. Jensi checked the time on his phone which was on 2%. It was 3:10. Ten minutes passed and Amaya was supposed to be here. He really prayed that it didn't die and they were stuck without any communication to anyone on a school parking lot that had almost been a murder scene. He also half wondered why Ivan didn't have a phone.

He decided to brush it off also, as headlights started pulling into the lot. Amaya got out and knocked on the window.

Jensi rolled it down.

"So are you going to show me the 'proof' or not?" She asked in a mocking tone.

Ivan replied. "Only if you promise to keep it a secret."

She glared at him as if he had said the most troubling phrase in the entire world. He gulped wondering what he had said wrong.

"We are talking about my dead mother here and you're asking me to keep it a secret? Are you lying then. Just admit that you are and that's the reason that I have to keep it a secret."

"Amaya, I-" Ivan started, but Amaya cut him off.

"You both asked me to come here and so far you have given me nothing but asked me to give you so many things. First you made an outrageous claim, second you made me meet you here, and third you're asking me to keep the entirety of how my mother died a secret? You sound like real jerks to me, who have no idea what you're talking about. If you did, then all of these petty tasks wouldn't be necessary, would they?"

And with that she drove away in tears, racing out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

Ivan looked disgusted with himself, ashamed of the mess he had made by tempting an already emotionally unstable person.

"It was not intent to.... to.... to create this-"

Jensi interrupted him. "It's okay Ivan, let's just head back home to my house and get some rest.

They drove off to sleep for the first time in two and a half days.

"You know what Jensi, I've realized that nothing that's happened to me these past few days, has been positive. But I think that's ok, because I get to share this wild ride with you. I think that if we stick together, it won't fix the nightmare that we're in, but it can at least calm the storm for a few moments."