A few minutes later, I joined Roger and the others on the rooftop. The air was thick with a somber silence, and the weight of what transpired in that room lingered in the depths of my consciousness.
"Now, let's leave this building," Roger said, cutting through the heaviness. His words of acknowledgment hung in the air, unspoken but understood. The cityscape below, untouched by the turmoil within these walls, stretched out like a canvas of desolation.
As we navigated and slid down on the ropes with the zip line trolley, the morning sunlight cast long shadows on the rooftop. The quiet rooftop stood as a stark contrast to the chaos hidden within. Each step resonated with the echoes of the choices made in the name of survival.
As we slid, building after building, we made it to the building where the A.I. Souta wanted us to go.
I look down, and saw something funny nearby, it looks like there was a rally after the apocalypse hit. Their banner saying. "Release them, they were once human too" I giggled a bit then continued to move.
As always, we explored the building with good coordination. Floor after floor.
Souta said that it was on the middle floor, and this building had 30 floors, meaning we needed to go to the 15th floor. We walked down the stairs, pointing our guns at every angle, but we didn't see any signs of zombies or humans. There didn't seem to be any survivors either.
It was like an abandoned building. We made it to the 15th floor. However, there was nothing special about the floor. It was just the same as the others, abandoned and dusty.
"We have come here by the order of Souta. We mean no harm. Our leader wants to take 'that' from here. And for the proof, I will play this phone, with the record of Souta's voice!" Roger suddenly shouted, breaking the eerie silence.
Why was he shouting? He took out a phone and played a video. "Leo, if you're hearing this, they probably got here by now. Please trust them. What they are saying is true. They are my companions. Oh, by the way, how is Kathy doing?" Then the video ended. That was it? How was he supposed to convince them with only a video saying those words?
Then, a door opened on the wall.
A secret wall opened up, revealing a man in a black suit. He looked weak, with a tall and skinny body. He had a sleek haircut and a serious expression.
And beside him was a woman in a lab coat. She looked like a scientist, with a small and cute figure. She had glasses and a ponytail, and a cheerful smile.
"Eyaaa! So that punk is still alive!" she exclaimed, referring to Souta.
"Please refrain from calling our master a punk," the man in the suit said.
"Huh? And why should I? He's really a punk, isn't he?" she retorted.
"Master?" I blurted out. Now they were both looking at me. But that didn't matter. "What do you mean by master?" I continued. I was curious about why they would call him master.
"That doesn't matter. If I'm correct, you're here for 'that', right?" the man in the suit said calmly.
Roger nodded. "Okay then, follow us." Roger and the others followed without a second thought. I followed behind. Inside was a room that was not too small and not too big.
In the room, bathed in the sterile glow of pure white walls, I found myself drawn into an otherworldly scene. At the center of it all stood a control panel, its focal point a remarkable sight—an intricately designed tube filled with a mysterious liquid. Suspended within that translucent fluid was a woman, her body fashioned from metal. I couldn't tell what kind of metal it was. Her eyes were concealed by black metal. The realization dawned on me—she was not human; she was an android.
The creator of this technological marvel stepped forward proudly, introducing her creation with an air of accomplishment. "Fufufu, all of you may be curious about what this is. This is an android I created! Her name is Ai! Her pale white skin and her entire body, this is the body every guy likes!" she said proudly.
"Is this what Souta wants us to take?" Roger asked calmly.
The man in the suit and the scientist looked at each other. "Take?" the scientist said. "What do you mean by take? Like take it with you?"
We were all confused. Roger nodded, also confused. "Take, huh? That's new," the man in the suit said.
"Well, that really doesn't matter, right? I mean, in a situation like this, of course he wants to take Ai," the scientist said.
"But still, that's new coming from him," the man in the suit said.
"I'm sorry, but I'm confused. Why do you both seem like you don't want to believe what you just heard?" I asked.
"Oh? It seems like you all don't know, huh. Well, it's not our position to tell you. Just ask him when you get back to him," the scientist said.
"We? You two are also coming?" I asked.
"Well, of course! We'll just pack our bags!" she said and left. The man in the suit also did the same.
We were all impressed by this technology. This Ai girl might be able to save this world. "Alright! We're done!" They came back from their room, carrying just two backpacks. The man in the suit was holding both of them.
The control room buzzed with anticipation as the scientist approached the tube, interacting with a console. She typed something on the keyboard and said, "Alright, now let's get you back." She pressed a button and ran towards the man in the suit.
The moment arrived when Ai was released from her liquid enclosure. The room was veiled in steam and gas as the tube opened, and with a mesmerizing presence, Ai emerged. A hand reached out from the mist, gracefully pulling her from the tube.
The scene was one of technological wonder and a glimpse into a future where artificial beings coexisted with a world on the brink of collapse. As Ai stepped out, her metallic form glinted in the soft light. I couldn't help but be captivated by the enigma that stood before us—a creation that might hold the key to salvation in a world consumed by chaos.
She stood there, looking around. "Welcome back, Ai!!!" the scientist said, jumping to her and hugging her. She calmly put her down and asked, "Where is he?"
"Oh? You mean Souta? You missed him, right? Don't worry, we'll go to him soon," she said, reassuring her.
"Let's first get you some clothes. We'll be right back," she said, and pushed her to her room.
We were still shocked and speechless that a technology like that really existed. A few minutes later, they came back. Now she was wearing… a maid dress?
"Oh, please don't take this in the wrong way. You see, she is the maid of Souta, that's why she dresses like this. Also, keep in mind that she isn't that overpowered, so we will rely on your skills to help us escape, okay?" she said, smiling.
Ai seemed to have no emotions, an emotionless android. "Okay, with all that, let's leave!" she said, energetically.