As Clara led the way, Aaron's eyes shifted to Serena, whom he carried in his arms. He observed her roughened face, bearing the marks of relentless fighting.
Her eyes were closed, and he noticed her long, delicate eyelashes and petal-like lips, while her face glistened with sweat. Despite being unconscious, her expression was troubled.
He couldn't help but wonder, "How does it feel to lose someone you love?" His mind struggled to recall any such emotions, but memories remained elusive.
He couldn't remember if he had a family or anyone he loved. The weight of forgotten memories pressed upon him, shrouding his heart in an enigmatic darkness.
His gaze then wandered around the scene of devastation. Everywhere he looked, destruction and fire consumed the once-vibrant city. The absence of life was haunting, and the air seemed to carry the weight of despair.
"Did something similar happen in Boston? Did I lose my family too?" Aaron questioned himself, trying to piece together fragments of his past.
His thoughts were interrupted as Clara suddenly stopped, hovering over the corner of the alley.
"What happened?" Aaron asked, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.
Clara responded, her digital form projecting calm authority, "I detected some kind of movement behind that car," pointing towards a vehicle parked outside a medical store.
Both of them moved with caution, their senses heightened. Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound, and Aaron instinctively morphed his robotic arm into a huge fist, all the while carefully carrying Serena, who was still recovering.
Her eyes fluttered open, and Serena slowly regained consciousness.
"Woah! Woah! Calm down, I won't harm you, man!" a voice called out, sounding surprisingly youthful.
Aaron demanded, "Come out then!"
From behind the car emerged a small figure, standing at around 2 feet tall Rabbit, wearing glasses upside down while wearing a colorful dress.
"A rabbit?" Clara's head tilted in awe, clearly intrigued.
The rabbit responded nervously, "Hey...heh..he."
"HOLY FREAKING...!" Serena blurted out in shock, nearly falling from Aaron's hand.
"Why are you wearing your glasses upside down?" Aaron asked in amusement, carefully drawing his hand away from Serena and helping her stand.
"That's what you're worried about the most!?" Serena exclaimed incredulously, still catching her breath.
"Hmm... Oh, he's wearing clothes?" Aaron replied, taken aback by the rabbit's peculiar appearance.
"NO!! He can talk," Serena interjected, still startled by the rabbit's ability.
"Well, so can we..." Aaron trailed off, realization dawning on him.
"But animals don't!" Serena exclaimed, trying to process the unusual encounter.
"Oh... yeah."
Curiosity piqued, Clara flew towards the rabbit, her digital form expressing wonder and surprise. "OMG! A fairy!" the rabbit exclaimed
His remark caught Clara off guard, as she blushed, flying back behind Aaron for cover.
"Well... I know it's weird but as you can see" the rabbit pointed towards a plain silver chip on his head and added "The chip on my head allows me to speak, write, and do all the intelligent stuff,"
Clara quickly scanned the rabbit and replied, "Oh, it's assisting the rabbit."
"Stop calling me a rabbit! My name is Garry, and I'm a doctor," the little creature asserted with a hint of annoyance, jumping up on the car's windshield.
"Ahh, bullshit! and creepy!!" Serena exclaimed, burying her face in Aaron's shirt, clearly uneasy about the unexpected company.
"Hey, girl! that's rude!" Garry retorted, his fluffy ears drooping slightly in dejection.
"I was just visiting this city's medical store and I am an assistant to the best doctor in CocoaCity!" Garry boasted, his voice tinged with pride. "But then this unfortunate city was attacked by the army of AI, and now I'm hiding here," he explained, trembling with fear as he recounted the terrifying events.
As he spoke, his eyes fell upon Serena's bloody shoulder, and a look of concern washed over his face.
"Are you injured?"
Garry slowly approached Serena, she instinctively clung tightly to Aaron, her heart still racing from the unexpected encounter. "Kyaaaa! Go away!" she shrieked; her fear evident in her voice. The little rabbit looked down, remorseful for frightening her.
"I am sorry to scare you, but your wound looks deep. Can... you let me see it?" Garry asked, concern filling his eyes. Aaron exchanged a glance with Serena and then nodded, trusting the little creature's intentions.
"We need to hurry, Aaron. The fleets have already landed, and they could start their operation anytime," Clara reminded her digital form displaying urgency.
"In the medical store, there's a basement where we can hide. I've been there before, and they couldn't find me. We can also find meds and all the first aid supplies we need," Garry suggested, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.
They all nodded in agreement and swiftly made their way toward the medical store. Inside, the air was heavy with the smell of antiseptics and medicine. Shelves lined with bottles and medical equipment loomed over them as they searched for the entrance to the basement.
"Here it is!" Garry exclaimed, pointing to a hidden door concealed behind a stack of boxes. Aaron carefully opened it, revealing a narrow staircase leading downward.
The basement was dimly lit, and the walls were lined with shelves filled with supplies. A sense of safety washed over them as they descended further into the refuge.
Serena winced in pain as Aaron gently laid her down on a makeshift bed made of medical blankets. Garry quickly began rummaging through the shelves, finding various medications and bandages to tend to Serena's wound.
"It's going to be alright," Aaron reassured her, his eyes filled with concern.
Garry skillfully cleaned Serena's wound, and Clara assisted with her expertise in medical procedures. The little rabbit's gentle touch and soothing voice calmed Serena's nerves.
Meanwhile, Aaron stood guard near the entrance, keeping a watchful eye for any signs of danger.
As the minutes dragged on, Aaron took up a position at the gate, his senses heightened, scanning the desolate surroundings for any signs of danger.
Garry skillfully tended to Serena's wound, his tiny hands working deftly with medical supplies, while Clara's digital eyes remained closed as she diligently scanned the area.
"What do you see?" Aaron inquired, his voice tinged with impatience. Clara opened her eyes and relayed the information, "I sense around 54 machines in this area, while the others are covering different parts of the city." Aaron furrowed his brow, trying to process the situation.
"Won't they come here?" he asked, concerned about the looming threat of the enemy's forces. Clara reassured him, "They probably will, but I've activated jammers. They won't be able to detect us easily." Aaron nodded, finding some solace in Clara's strategic precautions.
"So, they won't know we're hiding down here?" he sought further clarification. Clara's reply was affirmative, "Exactly. They're not as advanced as the humanoids. They simply follow orders and rely on their limited capabilities."
Garry approached Aaron from behind, his tiny hand reaching out to touch Aaron's leg. Aaron turned to look at him, concern etched across his face, and asked, "How is Serena?"
Garry's expression softened, and he replied, "She's doing better now. Exhaustion got the better of her, and she was sleeping. With a whole day of rest, she should recover."
Aaron let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Serena was safe for the moment.
Clara chimed in, "We can stay here for a day. I'm positive the robots will be done and gone by tonight." Aaron nodded, finding some comfort in Clara's analysis, and they decided to take shelter and wait out the night in the basement of the medical store.
As several hours passed, the trio sat beside Serena, who was still asleep, but her face twisted with pain even in her slumber. Aaron and Clara kept a vigilant watch over her, their eyes never leaving her form.
Meanwhile, Garry had found a small book in the corner and was immersed in its contents, seeking comfort in the words amidst the chaos surrounding them.
Suddenly, their attention was drawn by movement from above, and a voice echoed from the medical store, "Find whatever you can!"