"Yeah, so you were asking if this AI friend of yours, Clara, right? Is it an enemy or not? then yea she's the same as them" Max's words dropped like a pebble into the pond of conversation, sending ripples of surprise through Aaron.
His gaze shifted to Max, his expression mirroring the shock he felt. Beside him, Serena's eyes also widened in response.
"What do you mean?" Serena's voice quivered with disbelief, a note of concern evident in her tone.
Max's explanation unfurled like a carefully crafted revelation. "I mean, Clara is an AI. She doesn't have any emotions, ambitions, or any human-like qualities unless they're programmed into her."
Clara's gaze shifted toward Aaron, meeting his eyes. At that moment, Aaron's shock transformed into a mixture of realization and apprehension, his mind grappling with the implications of Max's words.
"He's right," Serena said, her voice calm despite the revelations. "But Clara, you do blush, and you've shown moments of anger too."
A playful smile danced on Clara's lips as she seemed to float, perching herself on Aaron's shoulder. "Well, I've been programmed to mimic human emotions quite well."
Clara looked at Aaron and added "It's a lot like acting. I can replicate the nuances of human emotions."
The word "acting" resonated in Aaron's mind like a distant echo, and suddenly, a searing pain throbbed at the back of his skull. His grip on reality wavered as if he were standing on the edge of a precipice.
"Aaron," a voice echoed through his consciousness, a whisper that seemed to come from both within and beyond.
"Aaron... come back." The words were laden with urgency, a plea to return from wherever his thoughts had wandered.
He clutched his ears, trying to block out a high-pitched, screeching noise that seemed to be emanating from every direction, piercing his mind like a thousand needles.
"Aaron!" The voice grew louder, a crescendo of concern, reverberating through his very being.
"Are you ok Aaron?" Serena asked and then suddenly his mind went blank.
The following day...
Aaron awoke abruptly, finding Serena seated at the edge of the bed where he lay.
"What happened?" Aaron inquired, his gaze fixed on her.
"You collapsed again. Are you feeling better now? You seemed to be in pain," she asked, her concern evident.
"Yes, it felt like my head was about to explode," Aaron replied, his gaze lowering. Just then, the door swung open, and Max entered, holding a bag.
"Alright, we're all set to go!" Max exclaimed upon seeing Aaron on the bed. He let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness, man! Are you okay now?" Aaron nodded in response.
"Aaron, are you truly feeling alright now?" Serena's voice carried a note of worry.
"Yes... Why?" Aaron raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on Serena's pink eyes.
"We need to leave this city as quickly as possible," Max interjected.
"Why?" Aaron's curiosity was directed at both of them.
"Because the O2 Layer is on the brink of collapse," Max answered.
"The O2 layer?" Aaron's brow furrowed in confusion.
"It's a protective layer that shields us from ultraviolet radiation," Max explained as he produced two suits from his back and tossed them to Serena and Aaron. Then, he revealed a mask. "You need to put on these suits, and don't forget these," he added, handing over the masks.
Aaron and Serena examined the suits; they were black and had a substantial weight to them.
"Alright, so change into these suits and let's go! We have just 30 minutes to get out," Max instructed before leaving them alone. In silence, they sat there, gazing at the suits.
Then, Aaron began to slowly take his shirt off. Serena's gaze locked onto him, her heart racing, as he rose from the bed, revealing his well-built physique. On the left side of his chest, there was a circular device embedded with a blue glow at its center, and he sported a set of six-pack abs—a physique that invoked a longing within her. Her body temperature seemed to rise as her eyes traced his movements. He proceeded to unbutton his pants...
"AARON! NOT YET! IT'S TOO EARLY!" Serena's startled shout filled the room, her eyes tightly shut. Aaron tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
Serena slowly turned around, her hands still covering her eyes. Aaron added, "Oh, did you need help?" Serena stammered, "W-with what?"
"Undressing you?"
"NO!!" Her face turned crimson, embarrassment flooding her features. "I can d-do it myself!"
"Okay," Aaron responded, and then he moved towards the door. "I'll be waiting outside," he said as he exited the room.
As Aaron exited the room, his gaze fell upon Garry, who was administering medication and having a conversation with an elderly member of Max's gang. The other four members remained bound, sleeping soundly.
"Why isn't he tied up?" Aaron inquired, directing his question to Max.
"Oh hey, you're looking well," Max greeted Aaron, then turned his attention back to the old man. "Well, this is Old Guran. We can trust him." Aaron's gaze lingered on Max for a moment before he simply nodded and proceeded outside. Once there, he beheld the familiar city in ruins, the only noticeable difference being the overwhelming stench of death that hung in the air. His eyes were drawn skyward, where he observed an unfamiliar layer—a dense white barrier shrouding the brown polluted atmosphere beneath it.
Max joined Aaron's side, and in a slow, measured voice, he continued, "This van will shield us from these radiations and... well..." Just then, Garry and Old Guran approached them.
"Are you planning to join us as well, Rabbit?" Max questioned Garry.
"Of course! You lot are dropping me off at Cocoacity!" Garry retorted with a hint of anger, gesturing towards the van.
"And you're leaving, Max?" Old Guran asked, a smile gracing his features as he looked at Max, who nodded while gazing downward. Aaron noticed a deep sadness etched onto Max's face.
"I hope you find your sister," Old Guran added, pausing briefly as if contemplating whether to share something. Eventually, he continued, "Would you do me a favor as well?" He looked at Max with a hopeful expression.
"Of course. Who is it?" Max inquired.
"My daughter..." Old Guran's voice carried a mixture of longing and hope.
"I've been searching for her for years... but, well," tears welled up in Old Guran's eyes, "I don't even know if she's alive or not. But my heart insists she's out there somewhere. I don't think I'll last much longer, so..." He retrieved a letter from his pocket and handed it to Max.
"Give this to her, and let her know that Papa loves her dearly," Max accepted the letter, his response a simple nod.
"What's her name? And any clue about where she might be?" Aaron inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Guran nodded, his voice tinged with sadness as he answered, "Yes... I've heard of an officer named Vanessa G."
"Officer?" Aaron's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Yes, of NWO," Guran clarified.
Max interjected, his tone tense, "You mean NWO, the group that recently instigated chaos here in the West and seized control of Boston?"
As the word "Boston" resonated, Aaron's heart raced. Serena emerged from the room, clad in the black suit.
"Boston?"