AI CLUB'S SECRET | AN APPLYFIC [Closed]

Epilogue

3 WEEKS LATER

Large incubator-like devices lay on the raised platform. Blue swirls of light lit up the interior of them.

Azlan, Yukishiro, Quinn and Bennett all walked into the room together. "How are they, Professor Duran?", asked Quinn.

"They're not dead yet, if that's what you mean."

"I still don't understand any of this", said Bennett.
"We... we couldn't find a pulse.
On either of them."

Lena frowned.
"I know this is hard for you all.
It's true.
By all accounts, they should be dead. But their robot cells kept them alive."

"Then why can't they get out of those things?", questioned Azlan.

"They're not ready.
There's... there's a lot of healing that needs to be done.
Their human cells need time to repair themselves."

"How much time though?", asked Yukishiro.

Lena frowned. She looked over at Professor Harrow, who sighed. "They're very badly damaged.
They need to stay in their Cyber Life Form Pods for... for 10 years."

If you listened hard enough, you could hear the collective jaws of the group members falling to the ground.

"A whole decade?", asked Bennett. "B-But... that's so long!"

"It's not ideal, I know-"

Lena was cut off by the sound of Quinn running out of the room.

"Quinn!", called out Azlan, before running after her.

Bennett and Yukishiro looked at each other, before looking at Lena and Ben again.
"We're going to check on her", said Yukishiro.

Lena and Ben watched as the pair left. Lena groaned and hit the desk in frustration.

"Hey, Lena... it's not your fault", said Ben.

"They've lost 10 years, Ben!
10 years they'll never get back!", exclaimed Lena.
"Their friends will live their lives and they'll have to start off where they left off."

Ben pulled her closer, gently cupping her face with his hands.
"Hey, it's going to be alright.
We'll support them no matter what."

Lena was still seething, but she looked into Ben's eyes, seemingly starting to calm down. She sighed.
"At least that psycho's locked up."

Ben nodded.
"Yeah."

Lena's eyes flickered to Ben's lips, and a small smile appeared on Ben's face. "What are you looking at, hey?"

Lena playfully rolled her eyes.
"My idiot best mate."

"Is that all?"

Lena chuckled.
"I don't know."

"Well, I mean... it's whatever you want it to be."