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A New World Part 5

(Collin's view)

"My chief! Tiran the Terror has been spotted in the wilderness north of here! What are your orders?!" A leopard warrior came towards a human agent. The agent looked down at the leopard before grinning to himself.

"Tiran?...Finally....after all these years I have him trapped! He won't escape me now! I'll find him and rip him apart for destroying my home!" Cried out the human taking out a wooden sword as 20 others, both humans and tribals alike cheered a battle cry.

Surrounding them were other tribals and agents but they would not take part in this and neither would I....because it was a play. One of the other men wrote this as a way to show the tribals how we make entertainment.

So far in the story the human agent Tesun had his hometown and family taken from him in a wild fire. It was later rumored that a powerful rogue warrior started the fire to show his strength. He and the only survivors of the village were warriors hell-bent on revenge. The play then skipped 15 years and all but the head human chiefs will was strained. The others pleaded with him to stop even when rumors that his son survived the fire and was alive somewhere, or when they had numerous chances to settle down at other places but the chief wanted nothing more but revenge.

"About time Tiran was going to get what's coming to him." Whispered a young adult panther tribal next to me into another tribal's ear. I had a small smile on my face thankful that we could take time to relax like this again.

Castro and his brother were listening to the play giving it their undivided attention. It was kinda cute seeing him like a puppy looking at the actors as if he had a new ball.

Apparently they've held plays too, mostly in celebration of heroes or important moments in their history like the founding of Kanza. They've never held any plays not based on a real event. We made it clear that this is just a creative play with no historical value, more like a lesson for them...which they will see at the end.

Then a group of people holding up torches and branches came behind all the 'warriors' depicting the scene of a burning forest. A wolf volunteered to be Tiran, he painted himself with chaotic looking symbols around his body while in both hands he held two wooden axes. Lastly was the glare he was giving, at least to me, a wolf's glare can be quite intimidating. Coming from a standing, weapon wielding intelligent wolf would make any man think twice about crossing him.

The larger group of men readied themselves for battle as Tesun cried out.

"Tiran! Your reign of terror will come to an end. All the blood you have spilt, all the innocent lives lost! INCLUDING MY WIFE AND SON AND ALL OF MY MEN'S FAMILIES! I will see you fall if it's the last thing I do! Attack! Kill Tiran!"

The men rushed at Tiran who met them in battle. I was honestly surprised how the clanked their wooden weapons mimicking the sounds of steel clashing together. All men including Tiran yelling as if in a real close and bloody battle. Castro and the other tribals were on the edge of their seats...well if they had any there were sitting down like they were in kindergarten but still you could see they were clearly nervous about the outcome. This was the great climax of the story from what the agents told me.

I was asked if this play could be preformed and being an elder I had the right to allow it. If any problems arise from it the creator of the play and I would answer for it. So far it appears the tribals love it.

...Hmph...I wonder....what would they would think about books? About movies? About television? I'm sure they would think its magic but what we know now-

I looked up at the fight still being fought. 5 men from the larger group had fallen before a sharp cry from what we knew was Tiran broke through the air. The men still standing backed away for the crowd to see the wolf with a sword through his 'chest' or more like between his armpit and chest. The crowd was fixed on the sight of the antagonist finally meeting his end but the wolf was showing off his acting skills by limping forward a bit while pretending to breath heavily.

He looked at all the men around him and he looked he was near tears. Tiran collapsed to his knees and actually began whimpering. It appears the sad kill was winning over the crowd. The poor warrior limped over to Tesun before looking up. Tesun looked proud of the kill as a face of shock went to Tiran's face. In a dying voice he whimpered.

"F-....Fa......fa-" He struggled before collapsing and didn't move. Tesun looked down at the 'dead' body of his great enemy before he raised his weapon.

"We've done it! Tiran has fallen!" He cheered as the survivors of the battle cheered as well but the crowd did not. They were thinking about what Tiran was trying to say before his demise.

Tesun then knelt down to look at the dead face of his rival. Tesun having a smug grin on his face as he flipped over the limp body of Tiran before he gasped sharply, the gasp was just as sharp as the scream from Tiran before.

Tesun looked at the corpse and we saw his hands begin to tremble shortly after his entire body. Now Tesun was the one in near tears as he dropped the weapon in his hand and held the body close to him and began to cry himself.

"I-It cannot be....I-It-" Tesun muttered as he searched Tiran's face for some reason but I knew why. The crowd was leaning in wondering what was happening.

One of Tesun's men approached him as if he was symbol of the audience's confusion.

"What is it my chieftain? What is wrong?" He asked as Tesun almost seemed to ignore him before he muttered again.

"T-The scar....T-The birthmark...." He said as before Tesun's warrior backed away in shock and everyone seemed ready to scream for an answer. The buildup of a play....or the ending twist. Tesun looked up at his fellow warriors and cried out.

"HE WAS MY SON!"

"What?!"

"By the gods!"

"There's just no way-there's just no way!" The audience said to each other. It was funny seeing them react to a twist ending for the first time. Castro's jaw was wide open, as he was astonished by the revelation. They talked so loudly that the actors had to pause the play for moment.

The agents and I had to quiet them before the play could continue but in all honesty it was almost over. Tesun cried out that his lineage was dead and that his bloodline didn't deserve to live on this Earth.

The warriors he once had rightful command over were granted freedom and settled a new village and began again. Tesun was seen carrying off his son's body as a narrator told the rest.

The narrator told how the village became prosperous and peaceful. How average day warriors can make a great way of life. Tesun laid his son to rest and lived the rest of his days in grief, he had claimed his revenge but instead of starting over he had nowhere to go.

With that conclusion the tribals began clapping. A few of the motherly tribals had tears in their eyes as a few cheered for the actors. Each took a bow at the end as another elder told the tribals to return to their daily lives.

The crowd began to leave as a few of the remaining actors cleaned up the area. I was leaning up against a nearby tepee looking at both the tribals and agents cleaning up and compliment each other's acting skills.

It was kind of heart warming to see how quickly we've been accepted. All the work we put into earning their trust. Fighting off the androids, splitting the workload, intense and awkward political maneuvers. It was almost like building a nation...

..........And all of it......might be for nothing.....

It's been only a day since what we've discovered in the cave. The cave that was haunted by a spirit and how Arth discovered an oracle I need to ask about. The cave....is a bunker...but not any bunker but one of 'our' bunkers. An underground bunker of the United States of America.

Its not only that but what we discovered further...what was 'in' the bunker....if they find out...we.......we might all be killed. They've already accepted us as one of them. They've never had a tribe in their history that committed something along the lines of....treason.....betrayal.

What are the punishments they place on criminals? Those who murder or steal? I cannot imagine that they hold them in any sort of prison...does that mean they-....executed criminals?

The whole thought made my stomach queasy. I haven't eaten ever since we found that place. I hardly got any sleep. Its only me, Travis, and the other agents who explored the bunker who know the truth. Alexander, the agents left here, even the agents who were securing the perimeter were left out of information.

Travis and the other agents have been very secluded themselves. All it takes is for one person to break and chaos will come right after it. I know that I will be called upon to announce my discoveries to the tribal council....the problem is that I don't know what I will say to them.

I know we are in grave danger as it is. If it weren't for the tribals most if not all of us would have been killed by the androids...the androids...a chill runs up my spine at the thought. That image of the one having its laser right in my face...its red eyes stabbing me with fear every time I think about it. Then how it spared me.....I.....it makes-

"Collin." A voice said behind me and I didn't even flinch.

I only turned my head slightly acknowledging who it came from.

"The council wishes to speak with you." Travis said.

I didn't say anything back. I didn't nod my head or thank him. I looked at the ground thinking....If they find out....if they execute us....I'll at least die on my home planet.

Travis walked away, I was sure he was debating in his mind if he should come with me but I didn't want to beg. If I asked I might burst into tears and the council will know something is wrong. No one will protect me...I'm alone. Once again all alone but now I have the fate of a nation behind me...the fate of....my kind....

.....What do I do?......

I made my way to the council's hut. Hearing a few of the voices chatting with themselves. They sounded like they were talking about the play and thinking that it was just another day.

"Elder" Boris bowed slightly greeting me. I didn't look up which made his eyes squint as if seeing right through my troubles. His stare followed me all the way to the leather flap door which I paused at...

Could we...try to run maybe? Steal their supplies and look for a way home?....I thought about it and the more I did the more unlikely it seemed like a plan. But we have no maps we would have no choice but to take shelter in the bunker and there's only one way out of that place. If the tribals choked us off of the entrance we won't be able to escape and we'll die in there....slowly.

Why?.....Why goddammit?!...why the hell did it have to be us?! How the hell is any of this happening?! Why didn't I just say no to the president's invitation?! I might have been teased for not going but this-! This shouldn't be happening! None of this can lead to any good...not without...

"Hm? Elder Collin? Why are you just standing outside come in you don't need special approval from us besides we need to ask so many questions!" A voice through the leather door said. It made me jump and a cold sweat began to form on my forehead. Every part of me was telling me to turn around and begin running.

The world began to feel so heavy like my knees would give out and I would be reduced to a sobbing child on the floor pleading for my life. I-I have to...t-there's no other choice.

I opened the door a bit awkwardly to see the elders happily chatting away and only a handful nodded acknowledging my presence. Teryal was talking with another elder who was telling him all about what appears to be...the play?

They're still talking about that?...I-Is that all they want to talk about? Then maybe there is a chance we can avoid it. Hope that maybe our creative sides with distract them from our discovery. Castro was looking at me when I first entered and I saw his tail wag for a moment until I looked over at him.

He looked away then began to talk to his brother but it didn't look like as deep in conversation as the elders were. Castro looked like he just had to look at his brother or something bad would happen to him or something. I didn't have time to guess.

I have yet to be given a seat in the council so I had to stand each time there was a meeting. I didn't mind before but right now I'm afraid my legs will give out. My throat felt tight as if they were already strangling me.

That is if they would even use their hands. I look out of the corner of my eye to see that they still have claws and fangs like the predators on Ear-...back then. But if this is earth...what happened to make 'them' the dominant species?

"Ah Collin!" Chief Teryal said as the voices of the elders died down.

"Amazing play by your people! And they tell me you have hundreds like it? If you have any more you must share it with the village they have become very popular!" Teryal remarked as I forced a smile.

"Indeed and many more like it. Some funny, dramatic, tragic, and others its all about the adventure." I said as Teryal and the others looked like fans when awaiting a great movie or show.

"Spendid! I can't wait till the next one! Maybe I could-"

"Chief Teryal." A voice said. Everyone turned to the direction of the voice looking at Teryal. It wasn't him of course...it was who was behind him. Akia stepped in front of Teryal and walked up to the other side of the fire I was standing at. Her wolf eyes were fixed on me as if ready to hunt me down.

The once happy atmosphere quickly changed into one of deep thought. Some of the elders were not aware of my expedition to the cave but keep their heads down out of respect to Akia. Even Teryal's happy expression even turned blank. The only noise was that of the central fire. The occasional snap of a tree feeding the fire, which the village holds dear.

But out of everyone's blank expressions mine was the first to drop. The split second I saw Akia I knew what was to come next...the only thing I didn't know is what will come of it.

"Collin...As much as I wish this was on happier circumstances I cannot let what happened yesterday just be forgotten or be unaddressed for one minute." She spoke clearly. I knew she would be the one most desperate for answers. Perhaps coming back to the village was the wrong idea...

But.... what was in the cave...what was in that bunker.... its not like it's the first wrong idea we came up with.

(Yesterday)

"Being the head of Research room 14 my job is to test the oxygen qualities inside Safe WRH. My team is dedicated to make sure the oxygen is maintained at a steady rate. There's also the matter of having to tend to the greenhouse room which makes us feel more like gardeners at times but haha I can't say I mind much. Even though the younger minds might think their work is boring I believe later they will come to realize-" The hologram of the scientist went on as if preaching to a classroom.

But he was talking not to students but to stunned agents. We all looked at awe of the futuristic device. It was the size of the circular table in the president's plane, which was about 15 feet wide from its center. The bluish haze it gave off lite up the place just enough for us to see each other. No man had his mouths shut.

The figure continued going on its lecture to an invisible audience. It was something completely out of science fiction but we saw it. It was like bombshell after bombshell when we first entered this cave. First the impossible to breach door, the passcode, the bunker, and now this. We were on Earth, our Earth in the future but how far?

I felt the back of my mind tingling trying to sort through everything. I felt dizzy like I could just collapse at any moment. I couldn't speak...our home...was right here.

"I-It can't be..." One of the agents said.

"2055...that's..." Another voice said but couldn't finish.

"The future." Travis said finishing the other man's sentence.

"We didn't travel through space....We traveled through time. What year is it now?" He asked out loud as if any of us could answer.

I was at the controls I looked down to only see the buttons for this log. However when I looked lower I saw other buttons. Numerous ones, some labeled some weren't. One was labeled "back" so I pressed it and when I did the lecture the scientist was giving stop and it went to this extremely long list on the hologram.

It was a list of years and beneath them titles of...events maybe? The one we were on read "Creation of W.I.S.E" I saw that it was meant to be some sort of abbreviation for some phrase most likely. I then noticed some directional buttons located beneath the video control ones. I pressed the down button and started to see the years go by...2056....2057. It slowly climbed up but it was gaining speed the longer I held the button. There was a hymn for each year that passed by the last. It keep going and going.

I managed to catch a glimpse and felt goosebumps start to form on my arms when I saw 2500, but it kept going higher and higher. It passed year 3000 and continued. Each year having a title of something important...hundreds of years of-of...our people. Documenting events, discoveries, and breakthroughs...all of it placed on this device the size of an average table.

Finally it ended with a repeating hymn...we look to see the last year....

Year 4741

I felt ready to puke. Two and half thousand years...we-.... we've been gone for over two and a half thousand years! My hand began to shake on the device. Everyone in the room just stared at the hologram displaying the year. No one could say anything. My tongue went so far back it mind as well have been stuck in my throat.

"Turn it off....Turn the damn thing off!" Travis said in denial breaking in the silence. But somehow without my input it turned off on its own.

I stared down at the ground and got lost in my own thoughts yet it was in chaos. The portal...it was time portal...It cut through time. I shook my trying to think about it logically. Would it be more possible to have built a time machine or a machine that could travel light years away... d-do the androids have the capability of going back in time? B-But...

That doesn't make sense! Why not go back in time and eliminate the tribals from ever existing! B-But how are the androids even here or how are there tribals?! Evolution can't happen this fast can it? a feral and vicious creature to a civilization near our own ancient times?...H-How old are the tribals anyway?

The more I thought about it the more it didn't make sense. I covered my face with my hands and wiped away the cold sweat on my forehead. A stuttering gasp followed as I rested my arms on the hologram table and clasp my hands together almost like going into prayer...maybe I was.

God...what was going on? What IS all this?

"We....we need to spread out. Look for some answers. Daniels, Madison stay here and look over the holograms, take notes on everything it says." Travis ordered two of the agents.

"The rest of you spread out and secure each room. Don't interact with anything you think is dangerous but find something to mark something of importance-um the dust maybe leave an X if it's important." Travis said trying to salvage the situation as best as he could but I could tell he was still shaken.

"Collin-" He addressed me as I looked back at him with a blank stare.

"Come on." He motioned his hand for me to follow. It took a few moments but I managed to leave my helpless state and follow him though my legs felt ready to give out. As we walked out of the archives room and back into the endless main hall I looked back up to see W.R.H painted on the ceiling of the bunker...a massive message that repeated down the hall. What does it mean?

If this is Earth...if this was a military bunker does that mean...but...did that android know about this place? I couldn't even finish my thoughts. Everything in my head was still spinning...we're still on Earth. We're living with intelligent animals and....we're exploring an ancient bunker.

T-...This was the future?...Our future? What happened? How could humanity be completely forgotten by another intelligent species in only 2 and half thousand years?

"What do you think?" Travis asked out of nowhere. I imagine for someone looking at us it might have seemed like I didn't hear him but I did.

"Its...I don't know...I don't know Travis. I don't know anything anymore."

"Is it possible that-" He was about to ask but he cut himself off. He looked worried like that he might be considered crazy or concerned about my mental state. Both I think he's a bit late for.

"What?" I asked but he shook his head.

"...Nothing, lets just look around before we conclude anything."

I looked back to see the other agents entering rooms. They all looked like pale as ghosts right now, myself included. Our footsteps echoed throughout the empty tunnel. It seemed to stretch on forever but why?

I-If it was military what could they have possibly be hiding here? What research was being done here? This place is...massive, the size of a city and it has enough rooms for that population and more! The entire military branch of the Midwest could be housed here!

The room was made of this shiny but dusty steel. This place hasn't been used for thousands of years. The lights while bright do have a hazing feeling to them as if almost trying to act like sunlight. Each room had a large window peering into it but all of them were dark but it looks like there were curtains for privacy.

The doors had no locks or distinguishing features besides a room number and sometimes a family name above it written in that light blue energy we experienced when we first opened this place. The ceiling of this place went up so far I was sure an experience pilot could fly his plane right through this place.

But...why?! Why is it this massive?! It looks like the bunker door would be the only way out of here. The hologram first said it was the year 2055...that's only a few decades from when we came from. This place must have taken a long time to build or maybe it was here this from when we came from like from the Cold War or something.

There are too many theories I have in my mind. We had to find answers but I don't know what else to expect in here. We walked further into the bunker before spotting something different on both sides of the wall.

Instead of two floors of room there was only one massive door. The shape of the door was similar to the one entering the bunker but instead of a giant blank hole in the middle there were numerous streams of lines with that light blue haze. I could only wonder what it was.

Some sort of energy we just came up with? They were weren't lights or made of any bright liquid from what I can tell. It looks really advanced for our time. We stopped at the door and I guessed it must have been 20 feet tall and 20 feet wide. It was unremarkable in any other way besides that.

All these rooms have no decorations, nothing to make the other room stand out from the other except from a number and family name. These rooms...had to be important to have a larger door and have the blue haze cover it. The other rooms only had them along its sides.

"What do you think in there?" I asked Travis but he shook his head.

"Central room maybe? I've been in a few bunkers and usually they put these areas in the direct center of the place...though no bunker I've been in was even close to the size of this place."

"You're the one who would know more about our procedures in bunkers Travis ..any idea how to get inside?"

"Special clearance for a select few. If we built this place there would only be a few people who would be allowed in this area I'd imagine."

"Like who?"

"The people who built whatever inside this door, leaders, and maybe a few bodyguards."

"Shit and I suppose we have to find some sort of identity card or something." I said before turning around and taking a few steps before I noticed that Travis wasn't following. He looked at the wall as if he was thinking something very deeply.

"Travis?" I asked.

".....I wonder...." He mumbled softly to himself but even the faintest of whisper could echo in this place. He then approached the door and held out his hand to touch the wall.

When it did suddenly another hologram pad like the one I found outside the bunker came up but it was different. There were no numbers or anything instead there was a massive blank one with the edges still saying W.R.H.

Travis stepped back in shock like I was but he almost seemed...familiar with it. Suddenly a message appeared on the screen! It typed out slowly

"Identification Please."

I walked up besides Travis who paused for a moment before reaching for something in his pocket. He pulled out his wallet and opened it in front of the screen. I caught a glimpse that it was his secret service ID.

Suddenly there was a bright blue line that ran up and down his card. Travis flinched but it appeared that the door was...scanning him. It then scanned his face down to his feet then went to me. I flinched too almost thinking that it was going to shock me but there was nothing. Not even a gust of breeze.

On the screen it wrote out "Welcome Agent Travis Williams, allow armed unidentified guest in?"

Travis and I were silent but slowly the gears in my head started working. An advance search and scan but...how would it know Travis? Its thousands of years in the future!

I looked at Travis who went pale but then swallowed his nerves down before speaking out.

"Yes. Give Collin Gunderson clearance." He said as I looked back at the screen that had a slightly foggy blue haze. Then an approving sounding beep came up and the screen read.

"Welcome Collin Gunderson."

I didn't know what to feel. Scared, curious, speechless. I couldn't bring myself to speak up a single word but I looked back at Travis with nervous eyes...h-how did it know 'him' right away? We disappeared in 2015 and the hologram machine said it was invented in 2055.

It could be that the bunker was here before but why wouldn't it delete the authority of believed dead servicemen? Wouldn't that be a huge security risk? But what concerns me is that...Travis...Travis almost appears to know what to do, like he's been here before or something.

Then the door slide down into the ground just like the entrance door did. The sounds of metal scraping each other left an unpleasant ring in my ears for a while. But it felt like nothing compared to the emptiness in front of us.

Like when we first entered the bunker there was no light just complete darkness...except for a bluish haze guiding us from the floor. Travis walked forward and I followed closely behind. My eyes were looking all around the empty dark room expecting to see something pierce through the darkness but nothing did. A complete black void of space.

We kept walking further into the darkness; my head turns around looking back at the entrance. I couldn't hear any of the other agents, only Travis's and my footsteps. I wasn't taking any chances though, I took out my shotgun with the flashlight still attached and turned it on. Travis didn't he seemed hypnotized by this place.

But to my own horror I heard the door behind us shut down as I screamed.

"NO!"

I ran back towards it feeling my heart drop suddenly at the only other light source we had disappear slowly before completely going away.

"HELP! HELP!" I screamed in the room but I turned to my side to see that....that Travis wasn't with me. I thought anyone in their right mind would be terrified and screaming for help or a way out but Travis kept following the light slowly.

Being scared can do two things to people, make them cry and feel weak or make them enraged. Usually I would be frightened when in complete darkness but with Travis's silence it enraged me...

This place....he knows something! He's secret service of course he knows something!

"Travis!" I yelled at him but he didn't answer. For all I know my yell could have sounded like I was yelling for his help.

I started running at him but he didn't pay any attention at all. I was charging at him, I thought I was going to tackle him down and demand an explanation but then...he stopped.

It was the first thing since entering this place that he gave some attention too. He looked down towards something but I couldn't tell what from here. With my flashlight pointing where his eyes were looking at I saw it..

A metal...platform...I think. In front of him was a large console of some kind. It was hardly 4 feet wide and only reached up to Travis's waist in height. Each button and switch having a little light on it. I had no idea what this was...some kind of other hologram machine maybe? But why put on here and another in an ordinary archives room?

"I-...I can't believe it..." Travis mumbled to himself before wiping away the bottom portion of the console. At first I only saw more metal and a few of the buttons get cleaned off. Travis sleeve was covered in dust...this place hasn't been touched in thousands of years.

"They built it....they....they actually built it!" He said to himself as his gripped the sides of the console tightly. I didn't like this...I felt worried that Travis might have snapped for that we discovered something horrible.

"W-What?...What is it Travis?" I asked and he finally seemed to acknowledge me. He turned his head slowly towards me and his face....read pure horror. His mouth was opened but no air came in or out. His eyes never blinked...it was like he stared into the face of death itself.

"This bunker...I remember it...It...it was a plan...." He said in the blank horrid tone which caused me to back away from him. I didn't know which I was stepping back from...the information or him.

"A-A plan?"

"a-an emergency bunker! S.A.F.E....I-I was in the meeting room....I heard the scientists propose it! IT-IT MUST HAVE HAPPENED!!!" He said in an almost insane sounding voice.

I gripped my shotgun tighter and almost started pointing it towards Travis. What was wrong with him?! He has to snap out of it!

"Travis, stop now! You're scaring me!" I yelled at him and the message seemed to get across. He backed up and went back to looking at the console. He rubbed his forehead before resting his elbows on it. He then slowly ran his fingers through his hairs before whimpering. Then...he....he either was beginning to laugh or cry...it-it sounded like both.

"Heh....hehe...wah...No...no it isn't...this is...no it isn't...it can't....it can't be...Augh It can't be!" He struggled between the two emotions before it appeared that crying won. He started to cry softly.

There's...something haunting about watching a man break like this...I'm just standing in the shadows clueless to what is making this man think in such horrible ways. To be so broken that even your emotions cannot be expressed right.

Part of you wants to help him but who's to say he won't immediately kill you...or himself. But this was a secret service agent! He's supposed to have a stable mind! I lowered my shotgun and just stood there...waiting for Travis to finish if he ever would.

Waiting in the darkness with near breaking point man is terrifying to me. I don't want to hurt Travis I don't think he would hurt me but...what....what I've been through it-

Travis suddenly took in a deep gulp of air and coughed before getting back up on his feet. He turned his head again and I saw that his face was swollen red from tears but his voice was calmer now, almost as if he was back to normal.

"Safe..." He said to me as I continued to stare at him with my heart feeling like it stopped minutes ago.

"Safe....Secured Area For Emergencies...." He said as I got confused.

"SAFE!" He repeated.

"That's what this place is....the letters on the banners and holograms. S.A.F.E" He said before I put it together...it was a message. An abbreviation message...Secured Area For Emergencies.

"I was there...I was there Collin...The president....Richardson...he had been trying for years...to get rid of the nuclear weapons....He was...He was going to get rid of them all ...and he wanted the others to do it too!" He said as I wasn't even aware of this.

"He pissed off some important people...scientists worried that...that nuclear war was inevitable.... He didn't worry though...rejected the plan....this place was meant to be...a safe place. When the missiles destroyed everything humanity could live on underground!" He confessed through some heavy breathes as I was starting to panic...w-what?! N-Nuclear war?! H-How?! When?!

"Travis what is that behind you?!" I shouted being the one sounding insane now.

Travis looked back down at the console and whispered.

"Its Hailee."

"What?"

"I'm going to turn it on. It will give us answers!" He said as my heart jumped. I didn't want to activate anything! I ran back at him hoping to get him away but it was too late! He pressed down on a button that emitted a large beep followed by loud hymn.

Suddenly the whole room lite up and it revealed what this room was...a-a whole room of computers...advanced looking computers of all sizes and shapes. The bluish lines were either going towards to the computer or coming from it. But when Travis pushed the, what I can only guess is the activation button the lights grew bright, brighter than when they did outside the bunker!

I thought Travis almost pushed a self-destruct button but the whole place seemed to come alive. The computers started showing all sorts of data of some kind and was going through it quickly. Some had lights of all sorts on the screens, others were downloading what looked like pictures at a speed so fast I couldn't even pick a single one out. Others had videos, tapes, movies of people and creatures. It was like being in the center place of all information that ever existed.

"Sir?! SIR?!" He heard people shouting from behind the door and I screamed back.

"Help! Something's happening!!"

The door opened and the agents poured in but stopped in awe of this place. It wasn't just the walls that had the computers...the ceiling did too...and one agent looked down and I didn't even realize that...even beneath our feet computers were processing information.

"What is this place?!" One of them cried.

"Fucking destroy it! Shoot it all!" Another cried but Travis yelled at them.

"NO! DO NOT DO ANYTHING!!!" He screamed an ordered but I argued with him back.

"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TRAVIS?! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!" I yelled before grabbing onto his shirt ready to push him down and personally bash the console to bits.

"You'll see it won't it hurt us!"

"This shit hasn't been used in years what if it activates a bomb or explodes?!" I shoved him but he only took a few steps backs. I had to shot this thing I thought! It might kill us its-

Before I could even point my gun at it Travis tackled me down and I heard the agents coming forward to either help him or me. Travis wrestled the shotgun from my hands and threw it away. I threw a punch to his face but he grabbed both of my arms and pinned them down as I struggled with all my might.

"LET GO!" I screamed.

"Please just wait for it to complete! It will explain everything better!" He yelled back at me but I wasn't having any of it. The hymn was growing louder and I feared the explosion would go off at any moment but Travis was going insane he had to let go!

I tried to get him off me but I just couldn't he had far more experience in fighting and all I could do was lay there helpless to do anything even though shutting it off was right there! The hymn was so loud now that some agents were covering their ears.

Sssssrrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhh! Was what it sounded like but getting so loud I was sure it would break glasses and eventually our eardrums.

"NNNOOOOOOOO!" Someone screamed...I don't know if it was me or one of the agents but the hymn was at such a pitch that it must have been near the detonation.

And then...just like that silence. Travis and I were still panting from our struggling but I made another attempt to break free.

"Get-" Was all I could manage to say before another voice broke the air.

"There is no fighting allowed in SAFE WRH." A...a hollow voice said as Travis and I looked around. None of the agents said it, when we looked at them they were looking at our direction but...not 'at' us.

Travis and I looked in the other direction to see...

A woman...wearing some sort of long dress. Most of her features were in a blurry haze but it was clearly female on her slim but elegant stature. Her face on the other hand was clear. Her hair was neat and her face beautiful....she was like...a real goddess. Even the way she was standing showed her power, confidence, and intimidation. What power she held over us I didn't know but for all of us it felt like she held our lives in her hands.

And she was looking right at me and Travis with a stare that appeared cold at first, almost like one does with disobedient children. She was looking at us...I know it! This wasn't just like some message hologram like the table in the archives room this was...this was...an aware thing!

Travis got off of me and I got up too...and her eyes followed us. She was looking at me, Travis, then all the agents behind us. Who was this woman? Where did she come from?

"Y-You can see us?" An agent asked.

"Yes." It answered in that hollow voice but had...a feminine touch to it.

"A-...Are you...going to hurt us?" Another asked.

"No." It answered bluntly again.

The answer didn't comfort me in the least bit. This is some sort of intelligent machine! The things we were always told about to be cautious of! It may see us as nothing more than pests or something!

I think we all felt terrified by this thing. By all the lights and computers it took to turn it on, it felt like collapsing this place or shutting us in forever was a very real threat. I wanted to run but my knees only shook at the awe of this marvel. This is what some scientists have only dreamed of! We actually built a machine that appears human!

"What-are you?" Another agent asked.

"I am Hailee. Holographic Artificial Intelligence Leading Efficient Environments. My sole purpose is to see to the humans who live here and do everything in my power to make sure they don't go extinct." She answered as it shook my very core.

E-extinct?...We're....Extinct?

"What?" I said softly to myself and it appeared that it heard me. Its head turned towards me again and stared blankly at me.

"Humanity is one the brink of extinction and it is up to me and my brothers and sisters to make sure humans will once again habit the Earth." It responded to my gasp of disbelief.

"Humanity....Habit the Earth again?" Travis whispered in shock just like me. But instead of answering him like she did with me she looked around seeing that every agent was in a state of denial or confusion.

"I detect confusion based on your facial patterns and the tone of your voices. Are you truly not aware? Have the professors stopped teaching the history since my upgrades were being installed?" It asked as and it surprised me that a super computer would ask 'us' anything.

"What upgrades? What professors? This place looks like its been abandoned for thousands of years!" I yelled showing my hands for it to look around. All this dust and cobwebs it's been more than a few years.

The computer looked at me then stared blankly at the ground. After a long pause it said

"Checking internal clock."

"The..holographic table thing in the archives room said it was 4741."

"The WISE? I can check its last activation times and compare them to my other measures." The voice said hardly acknowledging the extra information it seemed. Finally after what felt like hours it said.

"That cannot be."

"Huh?" Each agent including myself said

"After checking my internal clock it concludes that Wise has only been activated twice since that time. Once currently and another time 204 years before that. The current date is July 25, 8562." It told us.

We were gone longer than originally thought...we're 6 and a half thousand years in the future! My stomach felt nonexistent, it felt like I could puke out all my insides. That news finally brought me to my knees. A few other agents had to step away and lean against the walls.

"I have been shut down for over 4 thousand years...why? Adams said it was an upgrades installment that would take a few months...what went wrong? Checking other SAFE networks."

Wait...Other SAFE's? A-As in other places like this?! Maybe even people?! B-But why aren't they outside?! Why would we be locked away like this?

"No other systems active...SAFE WRH is the only SAFE active at this time...The only conclusion...Humanity...i-is...gone." It said hesitantly and that surprised me.

Wasn't this a mindless machine? It looked at us as numbers and objects to be preserved if it didn't cause their deaths itself.

"Why did you hesitate when saying that?" I asked as it looked back up and...I swear I saw...I saw clear emotion on that blurry face. Eyes that showed guilt and regret...disbelief like we were showing.

"My mission...I've failed...The SAFE program has...failed to grant humanity its second chance...wait!" It said looking back up at us.

"But who are you? How are you all alive? My diagnostics checks say that you...that you were agents when President Richardson was killed." It told us now looking at us in surprise before my mind snapped.

"W-WAIT! W-WH-WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS AND WHAT THE HELL IS IT TALKING ABOUT?!" I screamed at it but I wanted an answer from anybody.

No one spoke up though until she did.

"I am just as confused. All logical solutions point to the plane being destroyed and all of its passengers killed. It was one of the major factors causing The Great War."

"T-The Great War?" Travis asked and the computer looked at us.

"The Great War or War World 3 some of the humans called it caused humanity to break itself to the verge of extinction. What happened to you though? Only a few pieces of debris were ever collected from the ocean. All evidence showed that the Boeing carrying the president was shot down by unknown hostiles. Each country had its own suspect of who caused the beginning tensions of what would lead to The Great War. No conclusions were ever made, as it had to put aside for each country to brace itself for war. How are you all still alive? Is president Richardson still alive?" It asked us as...this brought us nothing but more bad news.

It was disaster and shock stacked on top of each other. I was sure I was about to reach my breaking point. I-Is this all some sort of dream? Like I'm in a coma from something that happened and-and I'm....what am I doing here?

I covered my face with my hands and just felt like clawing myself until I woke up from all this. I actually did, letting out a whimper of pain and a cry of mercy to whatever god was right or out there! Just let me wake up and go home! This can't be real...

"Time..." I muffled as it looked back at me. I give up...I...There's nothing we can do anymore...we're...we're...

"Time Travel." I answered it and the holographic person looked at me then went back to its blank stare. It must be computing the idea of it.

"Time Travel...that's...impossible. How? What happened on the plane?"

"We were attacked...by machines. Androids like something out of a science fiction movie. They nearly took over the plane. They came out of some sort of portal emitting a purplish mist. Our plane was on fire from the attack and our fuel was leaking. We...'I' made the decision to go through the tunnel than risk crashing into the ocean. When we emerged from the portal we were here...apparently in 8562." I said knowing it sounded crazy. It is crazy. The hologram kept staring at me with those creepy eyes. It was so close to looking human but...it just doesn't feel like it.

"That is... concerning...I have no data on any group or country capable of sending such a force at that time. Where is the president?" It asked us and we all went silent. Travis then walked forward and said with an uneasy voice and watery eyes.

"He...didn't make it."

I knew how hard that had to be for him. It's only been a few days of course the scars couldn't heal that quickly.

"That is unfortunate. Are you in command now agent Travis Williams?" It asked as I felt my heart skip a beat. A tingle rolled across my entire body started at my right arm then going all the way to my left leaving goosebumps on every inch of my body.

Oh come on I'm just a student! I mean first I'm representing a leader to...what I thought was an alien race now I have to be in control of this super computer?!....that is if it will even let me control it. I still don't like it that much.

I've never been a fan of technology and having machine think for itself. There's got to be a line we can't cross and apparently we did. As bad as I am around people at least they can feel back, recognize that I'm socially awkward most of the time. Machines don't. Either you are a necessary part or useless and useless parts are gotten rid of.

Who's to say this machine thought getting rid of the humans was a sure way to protect itself. Maybe it considers itself human and all the others to be useless for helping itself. But how would it attack anyone? I've seen no camera's, at least from what I can see here or turrets or any kind of security...

Maybe that was a counter measure the people who built this thought. Make an intelligent machine but give it no control over any surveillance or weapons. Kinda like a one-person library or the ultimate kind of advisor.

"Yes...and no." Travis answered the machine snapping me out of my concerning thoughts.

"I do not understand the answer. Are you or are you not in command now Travis?" It asked again.

"There's...a lot that has happened I think in the last couple thousand years. Um...is there any chance that you know of what's going on outside?" Travis asked and it was a legitimate question to ask.

Is this machine aware of what's going on beyond its doors? I would understand if it only knew what was happening inside this bunker. A bunker is, after all, meant to protect those inside and its purpose was to watch the people inside it not outside.

"My surveillance cameras located outside of the bunker appear to have either been destroyed or buried underneath dirt. The last recording of the outside was taken on December 2, 4145...the time I was shut down for upgrades." It explained as Travis kept talking to it.

"Did you...notice anything strange outside? Like other beings that were living there?" Travis kept asking. The computer paused then responded.

"Conditions of habitability were not changed. Earth was still completely uninhabitable where no life outside of a few bacteria could survive. " It said as I blink thinking about what it had mention earlier.

"Excuse me..." I said walking towards it.

"What happened during...The Great War?" I asked my own question and I swear I saw something like its eyebrow raised. Its expression had changed I know it but maybe it was just me.

"The Great War...a global conflict that officially started in 2022. The tensions began during Israel's and Palestine's ceasefire. The Middle East was in a state of chaos and the threat of nuclear war between countries like Iran, Pakistan, India, and North Korea were very much real. President Richardson enacted a plan to dismantle all the nuclear weapons of each country possessing them. Israel was the very symbol of how the threat of nuclear war can keep enemies at bay. However with the ceasefire declared it was the perfect time for Richardson to show the world that negotiating and trading could help people, the economy, and scientific progress. There were still terrorist groups that intended to start conflicts again but most were eliminated. Richardson had taken an incredible risk before that...he had dismantled all the nuclear weapons in America." He said as I stunned by this.

"What? I never heard about that!" I said not believing it at first. When did we ever do that?! Wouldn't that leave us vulnerable to attack?! I mean I understand wanting to show peace but the media, everyone would have heard of this.

"This was never given to the public for fear of attacks within and outside of the country. Richardson believed that peace had to be built on trust. Because of this, he volunteered to send an envoy of future peacekeepers and supplies to those in need as a show of good faith. I cannot comprehend this action but apparently it was both a very brave and foolish thing to do during this time of political unrest."

"But then the plane vanished along with all of its passengers including the ambassadors from Israel and Palestine. Only a few pieces of debris were ever recovered from the ocean. Almost immediately there were accusations between countries. Israel believed it was Palestine and vice versa. The United States believed Russia was involved since there was an intentional miscount of nuclear weapons they possessed. All of my records show that their weapons were dismantled like ours but many believe possible North Korean Submarine may have been responsible...whoever is responsible in the end there was a new concern. Most nuclear weapons were rendered useless by the actions of Richardson so it was believed that massive military offensives and defenses would have to be enacted...but it was soon discovered that there was a loophole within the actions Richardson wanted to take."

"Loophole?" I said silently to myself but Travis overheard me.

"He was trying to pass a treaty...that all nuclear weapons be banned then destroyed. But what was the loophole?" Travis told me but seemed puzzled about the loophole too.

"The treaty did not include chemical weapons." It answered us and I felt a tingle of fear of what happened next.

"Most developed countries poured months of research into developing the perfect type of chemical warfare gas. One that kills people and animals but leaves resources and building virtually untouched. During this time all trade in the world had stop. The worldwide economy was shattered and each country fiercely defended its borders from any and all threats. All scientific progress was reduced to a halt. The youngest generation was being taught to prepare for war and become soldiers or contribute to the coming war in some way. People who could not return to their home countries were placed in camps and practically forgotten. Marshall law was declared...one of the first scientists who built me lived in that time and called it total controlled mayhem."

"However there was a secret corporation that still maintained contact outside its countries borders. S.A.F.E was not only enacted here but across the entire world. It was hoped that at least one culture would outlast the believed chemical effects and be able to thrive again-"

"Wait-Wait! They did this in less than a decade? They built not only this place but many more across the world?!" I said showing my arms out for it to examine this place.

This one bunker alone had to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. What corporation had the money and manpower to build these places during a time of global conflict?!

"There were 1020 SAFEs built across the world. 135 are located in the United States. Each SAFE was built to house over 20000 individuals of the local area. Some important individuals within the medical and scientific community were invited but SAFE was designed to help those of any background and of any skill. It was kept secret from most governments who were training their people for war. Those that did discover the existence of SAFE tried to destroy them thinking the people were hoarding resources and cowards. Not one SAFE fell but sadly some were significantly under populated than originally planned. SAFE WRH met its desired population."

"Then on March 15. Sirens from across the world screamed at once. The ground began to rumble with the force of a 3.1 earthquake....All chemical weapons were launched. I do not know which country fired first but then the ground shook again 15 minutes later with a force of 5.6 on the Richter scale. While not as strong as it would have been with nuclear weapons its was came after that traumatized dozens of the citizens here and thousands across the world. We installed cameras on the outside as a way to tell if the war had begun and when it would be safe to leave...The first images we captured of people coughing up blood and bodily fluids from their mouths. Followed shortly after by bleeding through the nose, eyes and ears. Their skins were boiling and they were choking...all oxygen was believed to have been tainted across North America. All who even breath in a single dust were infected and died within 30 minutes. "

My heart sank at the horrible description. I-I didn't even want to think about how horrible that must have been seeing that...or experiencing it. It left such a horrible taste in my throat that it felt like I was almost choking on it. I can't believe we'd-...that anyone would think to use chemical weapons. Nuclear war is terrible of course but there's no pain you're instantly vaporized along with everything else. But chemical weapons, choking and dying slowly with others feeling the same horrible thing too.

I felt an enormous strike of guilt....'Our'...disappearance caused all of this. If-...If we had died on the plane by landing it in the ocean then-then...I don't know would it have been better?! Was there anything any of us could have done?!

Suddenly the blaming of ourselves turned into anger towards those who were leading during that time. To cause this! To create such horror because of a few people's deaths! Of course those responsibly should be punished but for the entire world to have to suffer?! Would it really not appear in anyone's minds that no one could win in such a way?! What would you gain by destroying so much live?! So many dreams and memories?! Even if you did win what would tell the others?! Would you even be human at point?! Risk everything for the sake of total victory!!

"The worlds population was recorded at 7,023,481,851 during 2021....by 2023 that number dropped to 5,350,000. " The computer said

Those numbers would haunt me...billions of lives...all gone in 30 minutes. Everyone on Earth suffering together in horror that their blind pride had lead to the extermination of the human race.

This...haunted me in class....I was suppose to be a general. The person to go to if asked to launch the missiles...I couldn't even if the other side wanted nothing more but our annihilation. I know that seems cowardly, borderline insulting to everything your country and culture stands for but when do you say enough? When do you draw the line? When do you realize that those who want nothing but destruction will soon enough turn on each other?

I was taught to fire, to bring victory no matter what...but for whom in the end? Who truly wins at the end of any of this?

I could have been right there. If ten years had passed, if I was a distinguished general and this happened to the next president and all of this was going on in the rest of the world...I would have to make the call to end it..... or stand by and do nothing.

"Humanity's population and progress was halted for a decade after that. It was mostly just them huddling in the SAFEs fearing if one day the chemicals might breach the walls. But-" I said in a now clear different tone. I know it. I was monotone with the hint of sadness before but now it sounded reminiscent.

"Then they began talking with each other. Not just those within the bunker but with other bunkers. During the Great War I was cut off from all but the closest SAFEs but in 2033 we managed to reestablish contact with those overseas. All logical and psychological data would conclude that they would hate each other still but...they didn't. Each recognized the other as human. There were no longer any countries, no flags to way proudly just the shared ideal of survival and one day thriving."

"I was...fascinated by this...When in the face of such hatred and evil they choose to stand together. Help the other with any research and information the other might have salvaged. The next century brought major scientific advancement and improvements to living here. This place as you see it, was not always like this. I was created in 2065. The walls were once dull and would cause uneasiness with those who experience claustrophobia. Oxygen was also an issue, while meant to be self-sustaining the air did feel...'stale' as the citizens called it. Researchers in France managed to build a more efficient oxygen preservation system and shared its information with all other SAFEs. The United States managed to create seeds that could grow food in less than a day virtually eliminating the fear of running out of food. It still tasted great and had no negative consequences with its users. "

The computer went on about all of these...ideas. Ideas I once thought were pure fantasy in the scientific community but were brought to life...here...underground when the rest of the world had destroyed itself. It was...oddly heartwarming. We as a single race decided enough and wanted to live together. We wanted to inhabit the world. I was sure that the war would also be a reminder for those in the future never to fight again.

It was sad to think it took all of that violence to make what something close to my dream come true but...in the end they still decided to do the right thing....but...

......This place is empty.....

"What happened to the people here?" I asked suddenly as the computer looked at me then paused.

"I do not know." It answered and that confused me.

"That doesn't make sense. How could you not know what happened to the people here?" I asked and it answered swiftly.

"I was shut down for repairs and upgrades. This has been the first time I've been awake in thousands of years."

"Well...how about your last entry? What was the last thing you ever recorded?" I asked as the agents and I waited for an answer.

The computer went silent for a long time. Her eyes as if staring off into space. It kind of reminded me of when I daydream but it was creepier when a super computer hologram is doing it.

I'm still not sure if we can trust this thing. I just have a natural distrust for technology but for now...I can't deny I'm thinking we need to keep this thing on. It has a lot of knowledge about the people here. I wonder what other things they might have invented here? Would time travel have been a possible feat for these underground geniuses?

"Data corrupted." Hailee said as I blinked wondering if such a thing was possible. A super computer has corrupted data?!

"What does that mean?" Travis asked it

"My data files on the last 50 years here since my shut down have been fortified to keep me out. I can detect around 8000 firewalls, 600 viruses, and 7 different encryptions I will need to work around before I can access them."

"How long would it take?"

"Estimates would put it around 4 months maybe more if there are hidden viruses." It said as it visible frustrated.

Goddammit! We are nearly there to some answers! How could these people-our people have vanished like this? And why encrypt the last messages?!...It then made me think that there might have been a good reason.

These people didn't have much and I was sure they knew it. To have, say, some horrible experiment go run or to have that poisonous gas breach through and kill everyone would be a horrible blow to the remnants. Would they keep that failure locked away so that the others wouldn't repeat it or was it some sort of protocol the computer self places on itself?

It didn't matter it looks like we'll be getting any immediate answers. This was already too much for a unsteady mind to handle. Its been shock placed over shock and one time your mind will no longer be able to handle it. I thought I was prepared for the worst when I was taking my classes but...this!

What can even be said? We might be the last humans on Earth fighting living with animals who have apparently evolved? There were no guidelines for something like this. We are the first to have ever been placed in a situation like this.

A number of the agents began making their way to the door mumbling things like "I-I can't" or "This is too much" I only remained standing. My lips quivering to ask another question and it pain every muscle to try to move...we're alone...we....are the last humans to have ever lived.

We couldn't possibly hope to regain our numbers. What do we do? Where do we go from here? Do we just keep trying? Hoping we'll find a time portal thing back home but what about the whole idea of two selves? We would have to be placed in a perfect time when after we disappeared into the portal but not before the Great War to have it mean anything.

Could it be possible to travel to a specific point in time or say what if we did arrive back on the airplane and saw myself and we stopped the androids then we would disappear from existence because that would no longer be....Agh! Such a fucking headache! What the hell are we going to do?

The computer was probably taking note of my mental chaos but didn't speak. Only Travis and I remained in the room as the other agents went out to breath. All sense of...purpose seemed to have left my soul.

All of my dreams...wanting that life away from technology living peacefully by nature, its all gone. My therapist encouraged me that all I needed was the right person to marry; now I will never find one. All of my regrets...what I wanted to tell mom and dad...I'll never see them again....I'll never have that chance....

.....How do I accept this?...how do I just move on from here? It feels like we're trapped....

I couldn't tell what but then I thought...about us....as in humanity. What life was like down here when the chemical weapons first launched. Did...they have such thoughts? Did they think they were the only ones to have survived?

Where did they think they would go? They never knew if others survived for over 10 years. For 10 years it was just them and everyone in this bunker...and in that loneliness they knew.

They knew that this way of life couldn't continue. The things 'I' was training for wouldn't change anything. When they regained contact with the others they knew that this had to stop. This place, these inventions, and these ideas were all meant to help life!

Maybe it is possible that some survived but there is potential here. Potential to help us and help...the tribals.

My mind quickly went back to the village. They helped us...even when common sense would have said to be cautious or avoid them they helped us. Like the people here they allow new ideas to enter, new ways of change themselves for the better but they couldn't when faced with the androids.

I don't know how the tribals came to be the dominant species but if this place can help them, if this place can give them the world. To have 'them' learn from 'our' mistakes then maybe-just maybe humanity might have done something right.

I couldn't believe how quickly my thoughts turned. I was in shock and disbelief but now I was finding hope. I-...I was planning on staying here anyway. What was back for me at home? I studied to be a leader and a general but that time was corrupt. I knew it back then and feared it but here! We have a chance, with a kind and caring species.

Our Middle Ages, The Crusades, Revolutions, and hatred for each other based on different cultures and appearance. They've already accepted each other hundreds of years of scientific halts would mean nothing to them! They could dedicate their time to learning about how to improve the Earth even further! Maybe even somehow find a way to make new humans beings, maybe that's just way too hopeful thinking but I'm sure they would accept new ideas on how to get more food and improve their lives.

Yes-Yes! This could be the start of a new era of Earth! I can help them, I can show them what we know and how to apply it here. I actually started move my lip muscles into a smile. We...We can do it.

This place was meant to protect humanity...wither if it failed or succeeded it can help those who need it now.

"What are you thinking about Collin?" The computer asked me and I jumped in surprise.

"How did you know my name?"

"I have clearance identification that was granted to you by agent Travis. I also have background research based on what media news channels have said. You are Collin Gunderson, born in Reno, Nevada 1993. Only child and successful student at Harvard with a 4.0 GPA. You were assigned to the president's peace trip to Israel before the plane disappeared. I also have information of an incident involving your mother-"

"STOP!" I shouted and the computer did so immediately.

"I-...I don't want that ever mentioned to me. I don't want anyone ever finding out about...that..." I told it and it paused before answering.

"Understood sir. File will only be accessible by you." It told me and I thanked it for recognizing my privacy. I suppose this thing isn't all that bad.

"Thanks..." I said before feeling an uncomfortable silence between the both of us.

I was alone with the hologram now and it keeps staring at me. I know its probably its job to focusing on humans and their needs but its eyes are not technically human and who knows at how many angles its seeing me from? It knows about my past. I knows everything I've done and what's going to stop it from using that against me?

I know the people who lived here gave it ethics including the need for privacy but what does that mean to a computer? I had a hard time trusting technology. It was the one thing I was never good at in school. I could start it up, run a few basic programs, and browse the web but that's it. I never saw the benefit of burying myself in the computer screen.

It was one of the things my therapists never suggested I do too often. People can get lost in there and as much as I knew it was one I could escape it didn't feel right. The web is just that...a web...its elegant designs can draw you in and feel like a work of art but it can also trap you.

But the web is a tool. A very advanced tool and necessary when one wants to keep all information in a single box. I wanted to give the tribals books, show them the joys of literature but this place has no books we could possibly use without them turning to dust at the touch. We're only humans we can only give so much information and we can be biased in our information. This machine however can share it...

I know the tribals might have a hard time believing anything that came from a machines mouth but this thing could teach them so much! I have to try, but I need to know more about it before I do it. Looking back up at it so I could stare back at it.

"Um...is it okay if I ask you some more questions?" I asked it before realizing I already knew that answer.

"I will answer any question I can. I am here to provide guidance and protect the continuation of humanity." It said again and I saw its robot side again.

"What are you exactly?"

"A holographic artificial intelligence developed in 2055. I have undergone numerous upgrades and repairs to better accommodate and understand human ethics, emotions, and limitations."

"You understand human emotions?"

"A few. There are patterns that can be detected like body language and facial movements. If connected to the proper equipment I can even tell when someone is lying based on brain activity."

"Which emotions do you have trouble understanding?" I asked getting slowly intrigued by this machine now.

"Love...It is something odd. I understand the hormones but do not understand the initial reactions to it."

"Initial reactions?"

"This 'love on first sight' as I'm told. I do not understand how a species breeds with one another based on a few seconds of observation. I understand certain parts of the human anatomy can make one more desirable to the opposite and same sex but I do not understand some of the pairings themselves."

"Go on."

"Certain humans will pair with unfit partners like a male human scientist will pair with an infertile female cook. The male has genes that could help benefit mankind for the greater if paired with another intelligent female scientist but yet always shows preference to the first desired mate."

I smiled to myself at the thought. So even down here love still existed. It also makes sense why that wouldn't make sense to a machine, which would have a logical view.

"I can't imagine I'd have any more luck than the scientists trying to program the feeling into you." I said with a smile and now I was certain I saw the machine smile back.

"It is just something I cannot comprehend. There is no program that would truly make me understand it."

"But you do feel things? I saw you smile right there." I said and it nodded still keeping a soft grin.

"When I was first developed I had no understanding of emotions nor did I have the intellect to act on them. Upgrades have been made over time for me to understand happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and confusion. It made the citizens here more comfortable to have a program capable of showing and understanding some their emotions."

"Do you truly feel them or is it just the upgrades?" I asked wondering if this machine maybe had hostile feelings towards the previous scientists who did so much to her.

"Do you truly feel them Collin?" It asked right back and I chuckled knowing this would lead into a philosophy debate which I had no desire to get into with, machine or human.

"Okay-Okay I didn't mean to offend.... What has been your thoughts on humanity then?" I asked wondering about if this computer could think for itself in some degree.

"My...thoughts?" It asked and I nodded.

"Your species is...unpredictable. While some patterns can be found there almost always seems to be the exception. I have seen kindness and learned of horrible cruelty your species does on others and each other. I find it all...fascinating. But I have been program to protect and advise humanity until my services are no longer needed." It said as it made me a bit sad.

Its voice hardly changed in pitch or tone at all during the conversation but I see that it wants to show emotion at times. Does it envy us? That was oddly something I never heard of in the science community. I first heard this idea from my dormmates.

I remember that some people think college students are just people who sit on the couch talking about random stuff...and sometimes they are right even though they weren't high when I overheard them talking about their computers. They wondered if a machine could see emotions as a new source of knowledge and it would be impossible for them to truly gain a grasp on it.

Now here we are in the face of a super computer and even though it can detect and understand a few emotions it still cannot know them all.

But then I thought about its last words. No longer needed...I bet it sees us as its last chance to help otherwise it will become unneeded again...It couldn't hurt to ask this.

"Serve only humanity?"

"I am programed to serve humans yes."

"What about...other life forms?" I asked and it seemed puzzled by this.

"Other life forms?...like cats or dogs?"

"Yes! Do you help them too?"

"When asked by the humans to care for them, I will."

"But...you won't unless ordered by us?" I asked now growing concerned about its rules.

"I have been developed to help humans and their interests. I have been asked to tend to their animals but not to overall desires of what the animals want."

"But what if animals were the only things left?"

"Then I would have failed my task and there would be no need for me."

"But what about helping 'those' animals?" I asked persistent to know what it would think of the tribals before I ever introduced them to this.

"I- AARAJRGALKJNS!-Data file corrupted- This section of information of has been blocked off by Chief Officer Hain. Vocal confirmation needed to continue this response." It said as I jumped back scared by this sudden outburst.

Vocal confirmation like voice?! Shit! Are you fucking kidding me?! The one thing I need an answer too and its blocked?! Dammit I need to find a way around it.

"Who was Chief Officer Hain? Can the password be broken just for us-" I was about to finish before I swear its eyes turned to one of angry denial like I was asking for too much.

"NO! Article 34 subsection 6 clearly states that the Chief Officer can block out information he or she finds threatening to overall goal of safe guarding humanity. Only by vocal confirmation can this information be released!" It answered sternly out of nowhere and I backed away from it thinking I should just run for it.

"L-Listen hologr-....Haliee" I said and when I said its name its eyes suddenly changed to a softer stare and a face almost showing regret.

"I...apologize Collin. Security threats must be handled accordingly to my design. The question you asked cannot be answered...And with Hain and the others most likely dead there....that information might forever be lost." It said as felt frustrated.

Who thought that would be a good idea?

"What about say...aliens?" I continued asking hoping I wouldn't get that inhuman scream of rule breaking again.

"Aliens are a concept of other life on different planets on Earth. Commonly found in entertainment books, shows, and movies. It was about to take a new leap in serious study but the Great War halted it."

"What would be your reaction to them?"

"The concept would have been proven true." She answered but yet not to my question.

"I mean like say they were here. Not harming us or anything but lived with us." I said hoping this way might work.

"I would have to be given permission by humanity to work with aliens." It said as I finally felt like I was making some progress. I was a bit sad that it needs our permission but hopefully it will see that the tribals can be like us.

"Would...my permission count?" I asked hoping I was just moments away from sealing the deal. With this things knowledge the tribals could produce so many wondrous things and use the ones already available.

"No." It responded and I lost my temper for a moment.

"Oh fucking come on -WHY?!" I exclaimed whipping my hands in the air for a split second.

"You are not the leader of the humans. Head of Security Travis Williams is the highest-ranking official according to my observations and I will only accept it when power has been transferred to you." It informed me and I sighed at the delay.

I know Travis will give me permission but this would be only a temporary solution unless I could input a simple command like "I order you to obey the tribals from now on but with a complicated machine like this....no

I wasn't about to try to rewire or somehow hack into this thing if that's even possible. I can only hope that its been programmed to understand trust. I had to go find Travis and get him to give me the permission to use this computer.

"Thank you-um...that is all." I said wondering if that would show it that I had no questions left.

"Of course Collin Gunderson." It said back before suddenly disappearing! In a fading flash of light it just vanished but the console was still on...so...the hologram is just another device maybe. The machine might have control of the entire bunker.

But the scary thing is that I can't see any cameras, but who's to say camera have advanced so far that they might be undetectable? I guess there's only one way to test it out.

I walked out of the room and saw a few agents sitting against the walls obviously still in shock about all of this. A few more were examining other rooms, probably looking for old alcohol or something to take off their nerves.

I admit...I never drank a sip of beer or wine in my life but right now I feel like drowning myself in it, if it makes me feel as good as the drunken party kids at Harvard say it will. I didn't see Travis at first but I planned on finding him after a little experiment.

"Um...Hailee?" I asked at what first seemed like myself but then from that light bluish haze line the image of Hailee appeared again! So it can be activated anywhere at anytime? Fascinating....

"Yes Collin?" It asked me and I decided to tell the truth.

"I was just seeing if it was possible you could answer out here." I said and the hologram nodded.

"I can be activated from anywhere within the bunker. The energy line assures me access into every room." She said pointing to it and I nodded back.

"That's useful information thank you. That is all." I said

"Good day Collin." It answered and just like before disappeared in a flash of light.

So this thing can be questioned at anytime? Despite my distrust of technology it will be useful to have someone-or something that knows more about this place than any of us and we can use it at anytime since it doesn't sleep.

I quickly walked over to where the other agents were and through the window. I saw one of them was having a scene. An agent was resting his head against something that looked like a refrigerator. Another agent was talking to him but the other didn't answer until he snapped.

"Howard, you said you gave up drinking a long time ago when you joined the secret service. Don't you care about what your wife said to you or what the damage it did to-"

"NO-NO! You know what?! Who the fuck cares?! What the hell does my drinking matter to anything anymore?! We're in the fucking future!!! My wife and kids are dead-I probably won't ever see them again and you're bitching at me about my problems?! Fuck off man just let me have some booze its-its...." The man named Howard said before the red rage in his face was turning into sorrow.

"Its all I have left" He said before sobbing "Why did this have to happen to us?...Why goddammit why?!" He said before the other agent went to comfort him.

I wasn't the only one in this situation we all were. We all had something at home...well most of us. Travis doesn't and...I-

"Hey kid...you alright?" A voice asked me and I turned to the right see another agent sitting down against the wall.

He had blonde medium hair and like all the other agents built for combat. However he didn't look threatening, his green colored eyes showed concern for my well being which was appreciated but wouldn't help much. He spoke with an accent I think most in Texas would have. A twang I think its called but it doesn't matter. His hair was a mess but then again all of ours were.

"Me?...No-is anyone for the matter doing okay?" I said looking back at the agent crying in the room. I suppose I had that tone of sarcasm but a small part of me hoped someone was keeping calm like this agent was.

"Hmph...point taken. Not really what I signed up for. My sisters and wife always told me this would be the worst job...I always thought they meant me getting shot or something."

"It just doesn't feel real..." I muttered looking at the window but I was looking at my reflection this time. My eyes had the faint light blue bags underneath them, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight or for the next few days for that matter.

"I know...do you think anyone will even believe this when we get home?" He said and I shook my head not because of what he said but because of...'what' he said.

"We're never going home."

"Not with that attitude young sir." He said and I looked back at him clearly showing my frustration with him.

I get optimism and sometimes it does help but this?!

"I know what you're going to say. Just save it...I'm not in the mood. I know the androids have a time travel machine or something but they aren't going to hand it over to us. And do you really think the tribals would really help us fight for it? I know that they hate the androids but...we could never come back you know? That portal couldn't possibly still be open on our side you'd think they'd send something over to search for us." I said trying to approach it logically.

"I don't want to die here kid...you ever think that?" He said suddenly with his eyes getting a bit watery.

"I got a family too. I want to see them again. I'll leave this place in heartbeat if it means I can go back. I just don't get how you and Travis seem like the only ones who aren't really fazed by all of this." He said and I once again looked at my reflection.

A gunshot ringed but no one fired their weapon here. It was in my mind, my memories that single gunshot that changed everything. My hands began to tremble at the faint vision of it and I fought back against the water in my eyes.

"There's nothing waiting for me back home. I-....I actually want to stay here. Help these tribals...find some meaning in my life again..." I whispered the last part to myself before the agent patted to the floor for me to sit next to him. I did and looked at the other side of the bunker thankful to have some company but not exactly having a pleasant conversation.

"I guess I understand. I don't agree with your decision kid but I understand wanting to stay here. I looked at your file too you know-" He said and before I could tell him to shut up he quickly replied.

"And I won't judge. You do what you think is right." He said and I went back to sitting against the wall before the agent next to me pulled out a cigarette.

"Was saving this for when the treaty was signed...then I thought I would save it for when we got home. I don't care what you say youngin' we're going to get home but...who knows?" He said twirling the cigarette in his fingers almost like it was a pleasant memory.

I know I could let him just smoke it right now and let him feel a bit of comfort. He was about to pull out his lighter before I grabbed his hand.

"Don't...you wanted to save it for when you got home." I said showing a little smile but he didn't look convinced.

"Thought you said it was hopeless." He remarked putting the cigarette back into his pocket.

"I said I didn't think the tribals would help us fight for it. I'm more of pessimist as you can tell but that's because I was thinking about me, not about you guys. Who knows maybe you'll prove me wrong like you optimist types always like to do." I said thinking of those memories of those people always trying to cheer up the people who sat in the corner.

Back then they were annoying to people like me but now I'm starting to see the good in the things they do. That will power to go on. How the professors say we needed both pessimists to keep us in check and the optimists to make sure we didn't do nothing.

"Names Bullard. Bullard Johnson." The agent next to me extended his hand and I shook it.

"Collin." I answered back and...I don't know what happened next.

We just kind of sat there not talking yet not despairing. The sobs of the agents in the room went away too and I saw that nearly everyone was just sitting around and thinking.

I could only guess that we were thinking about what to do. We are in the future with only one known possible hope. We don't know where it is or how to get to it. We're under the constant threat of an android attack and if we don't get home soon our species really will be extinct.

It was all a depressing situation. Yet...there was something else...a spark of hope.

Like the people who lived here we were not alone...the tribals...those who came to help us and welcome us as one of their own. No we weren't alone. They've shown themselves to be kind to those in need and capable of defending themselves when in need.

I-...I want to give them this planet. A species that doesn't war with itself, doesn't hate differences between them, treats the Earth with respect and dignity. These are the signs of a very capable people, a budding civilization waiting to be set on the path of prosperity. Maybe 'we' can set them on that path. Our mistakes of the past can become lessons for them never to repeat. I know they'll listen to them.

"Collin." A voice said as Bullard and I looked up to see Travis and I was surprised to see he didn't look like he was crying in despair or anything. In fact he looked quite in charge, which seemed odd for a many who didn't want to lead when facing the tribals.

"I need to speak with you." He said in an almost ordering tone. I looked over at Bullard and he nodded. I was wondering if he wanted my company still but seemed okay at the moment. I got up and followed Travis who began walking.

"How are you holding up?" He asked.

"I'm...as fine as you could be I guess."

"I know. I still can't believe they built this place. Or for that matter hundreds of them across the world."

"Yeah the computer said this was purposed to us during our time right?"

"It was only supposed to be used for the president and specially selected people. I know that sounds cruel but apparently these bunkers weren't made for leaders. They housed commoners, an honorable goal in my opinion." He said as I continued to listen.

"Anyway this place wasn't just suppose to be a hiding ground this place was also meant to improve living conditions and advance technology as Hailee told us."

"Yeah?" I asked wondering where he was going with all of this.

"But the computer was shut down a few years before the humans disappeared right? Where do you think they've gone? I mean this place holds around 50000 people right? People don't just disappear over night. They couldn't leave the bunker and they felt trapped inside this bunker so what do you think they did?"

"What-?" I asked confused

"The bedrooms have no corpses- all personal belongings are still there as if they disappeared suddenly. I even saw a table set as if ready to have dinner!"

"Wait...are you suggesting-"

"Maybe without the computers knowledge they built the time machine and went back in time somewhere!" He offered his conclusion and I thought about it deeply.

Could it be possible?...But how? Then again Travis does have a point. This place wasn't torn apart like the occupants have a bloody internal conflict. Everything is neat and orderly as if they all decided to up and leave somewhere.

"T-Then where would they place it?"

"Right over there." He said pointing a door slightly larger than the others and on the top it was labeled. "Special Personnel Only"

"I remembered this from the original plan. This is where the scientists and engineers would work on projects the computer described. Pills that create whole meals and purer air were probably baby steps compared to things worked on in these places."

"Can we go in? Do we need special permission?"

Travis didn't answer me instead he held out a card with a picture and little words I couldn't make out but I could tell the picture wasn't of him. The picture was of a young female scientist with blonde hair.

"I found this in one of the rooms. None of the people working on this would leave this behind unless they had a way out of a bunker. " He told me before holding it up to the door.

We heard an approving beep similar to the one outside the bunker. I grabbed onto the shotgun strap on my left shoulder as the door opened. What would a time machine look like? A massive computer? A sphere like contraption? Or like a portal?

Not to mention the other things that might be in there. If they created a time machine what about a cure for cancer? Or schematics for a spacecraft that can go near the speed of light. It's tempting to think about taking some of it back with us. Improve the world now so that maybe we won't-...

But then that idea hit me about the consequences...we could improve our time with what we have here but what would it mean for this world?...in fact what about the consequences of traveling back in time in general? If we already used this or something like....I don't know I'm not a scientist. If we used this in a past life or something wouldn't this have never happened or are we just fulfilling the natural flow of time?

I rubbed my face with my hand and sighed. Will I not exist if we go through a portal? Are we basically dooming the tribals no matter what we do? I don't know if I want to be responsible for more terrible things.

I guess its just a wait and see...that's all this is right now.

The door slid into the wall but something was wrong. It shrieked as if dented or rusted which makes no sense since the other doors went in without a sound. Travis and I looked into the room only to see darkness. Pure emptiness. No buttons of advanced technology or the sounds of generators just...silence. Almost like it was an abyss.

I took my shotgun with the flashlight still attached and turned it on but almost like the cave the light only breached the room by a few feet. Travis reached around the corner searching for a switch to activate the lights but it appears he didn't find any. He looked over at me to search my corner.

I reached around only to feel cold metal with a thick layer of dust on top of it. I searched in the darkness as far I could reach but there was no switch.

"Shit...augh....well I'm going in." Travis said to me and I followed close behind.

Our lights couldn't even be seen on the ceiling. The air in the room was a lot staler compared to the rest of the bunker. The dust in the air was going to cause me to cough at any moment but I was barely breathing at this point.

Suddenly a loud "Clungk!" startled me before Travis whispered.

"Ah fuck ow!" He complained looking at his foot. I pointed my light down to see a light gray mark on impact compared to his black shoes. I pointed my light over to a nearby wall to see...something concerning.

Part of the metal wall was torn out as if ripped off by a monster. Travis ignored the ache in his foot to examine this wall with me and only then we saw more considerable damage to this placed, most of it being dented in the wall. Others has parts torn off.

"What the hell happened here?" Travis asked as I went to test the wall. I pounded my fist against it to see I had made hardly any dent at all.

"Someone...or something was really trying to rip this place apart. Its odd though..." I said.

"What do you mean?" Travis asked.

I admit I always considered a job being an investigator or a detective. I can notice and think of things other do not consider.

"This wall is powerful. My fists didn't even put a mark on it. In order to put marks this on this wall I would have had to punch as if I was on steroids. And if I did that it would still take a few times and my fists are going to be bloodied. Look." I said showing Travis the indentations on the wall.

"Not a drop of blood on it or on the floor. And it's certainly a fist." I said making my fist against and showing that the marks were that of a human fist, though slightly larger than me own.

"Okay....so why this wall?" Travis asked.

I walked along side the wall seeing more damage done to this particular place. I walked over to the other side for a moment seeing no damage done to it just to this side.

It was still dark as hell in here and I took each step hesitantly. I feared I would straight into a corpse but it appears this room went on for quite awhile. I did have a fear of the dark but only in places I was uncertain of...and I had no idea what to think of this place. The damaged wall seemed to go on forever, the pieces of wall torn off didn't have a speck of blood either.

Then we got our answer after walking for another minute or so. We came to a door that seemed to have suffered the most damage. It was eerily haunting seeing a door, any door, that damaged but still looked functional. It was almost like the presidents on the plane.

"What the hell was going on here?" I asked Travis as if I expected an answer.

Travis clearly had a face of confusion before showing the card up to the scanner. The dim blue light was welcomed but hardly made a difference in this place. After another approving deep the door slid about a foot before becoming jammed.

The dents appeared to make it impossible for it suck in any further but it was enough for Travis and I to squeeze through...but...

"I-...I'll go first here." I said to Travis before handing him my shotgun. It vulnerable and frightened that I was handing not only my weapon but also my only source of sight to Travis but I was entering a room I could very well become locked into.

Thankfully Travis kept his light on me when I squeezed into the room. I couldn't see a thing so I had no idea what to think. Travis handed me my shotgun back along with his assault rifle. I stayed about as close as I cloud to the door without blocking his way.

I felt bit safer with someone else in here with me but what was this place? We looked over at the sides of the door and once again there was no switch for lights. Seriously?! Did these guys work in the dark or something?!

But I did see something odd. Like with the family names on top of each door in the bunker there was a title on top of this door...but it was broken off. Right now it read. 'ntrol room"

I filled in the blanks and figured it was the control room. The control room for what though? The time machine? Maybe some sort of supervisor room? I looked down to see the shattered remains of the rest of the title. Almost all of them were shattered to the point of being completely unreadable. I had no time to solve a puzzle but there was this bigger piece that fit two letters 'dr'

Hmm...maybe this was a doctor's control room? Maybe we were in a medical room...but why was there so much damage to the wall? I looked over to see that the dents did indeed breach into the other room. They probably made whoever was in here very scared.

"Dammit we gotta find some lights." Travis said and I couldn't agree more.

We kept to one side of the room, the south side if this room was square and the east side of the room had all the damage to it. We followed alongside it before we saw there was a large window stretching to about the size of the wall it appeared. So it was kind of like a supervisor room. I wonder what was out there?

"Hey looks like we found some sort of console." Travis told me flashing his light to what looked like the console in Haliee's room but it was much larger.

"Ah good the light switch. Here we go." He said pressing a button but nothing happened. He pressed it again and we both sighed.

"Yeah why did I hope for anything different?" He said sarcastically. I know that tone it's the tone when someone is about to go on a breaking rampage. I moved behind and looked over to the rest of the console and...I saw that someone had beaten him to the rampage.

"Travis...look." I said pointing to the console...only this console was completely wrecked. Like the wall it had consider fist marks placed into it and it almost looked like some sort of...axe or blunt object pierced into it. I suppose it should be no surprise that this wouldn't work.

"Come on! What the fuck happened here?" Travis whispered through his teeth. He was clearly becoming frustrated. Working in total darkness will probably drive anyone insane after some time.

Travis rubbed his chin before standing up for a moment and thought about something before knelling back down to the light console. He then said.

"Fuck it. I'm going to try to fix it. Here...hold my light." He said ripping off his flashlight from his weapon and handing it to me.

He pulled open a little hatch and we saw numerous wires and other things I would have no idea what to do with. They looked like conduits of energy as they glowed with a soft white light but the overwhelming darkness would make them practically invisible.

Travis started messing around with everything, I was ready to pull his hand out in case I saw something bad but I feared this thing was far to damaged to hurt him in any functional way.

A few minutes went by and Travis and I didn't say a word to the other. Travis was still arranging wires and once we even got a little spark to come out but nothing else happened.

I didn't like standing around doing nothing but I knew I had to keep close to him. Out of boredom I started to draw wiggly lines in the thick dust that covered the room.

But as I was about to become bored of that I noticed something on the ground. I rubbed off some more dust to see that the soft blue light in the rest of the bunker was glowing here too....does that mean?

I looked over at Travis who looked focused on his work but I didn't want to tell him it was most likely hopeless. If...she can hear me does that mean possibly that she can help us?

"Hey-um...Hailee?" I asked before suddenly the blue light flickered and the holographic image of Haliee appeared in the room! It was a bit fuzzy but that might be from the dust covering the light over there.

"Yes mister Gunderson? How can I help you?" She asked nonchalantly almost as if it was prerecorded.

"Is there anyway we can turn on some lights in here?" I asked her as Travis got out of the little hatch and looked at her interested to see if she could.

As I handed back the flashlight to Travis, Hailee went silent probably checking her systems.

"Laboratory Room Venus console has experienced significant damaged. Maintenance required. However the control that allows me to turn on the lights is in perfect condition. However I need permission from Travis before I can activate them." She informed us and we both smiled.

"Yes go ahead." He said almost forgetting that his efforts have been wasted time.

"Lights will be on 5 seconds." She told us as Travis leaned nodded at me thanking me silently for thinking of that before kneeling down to shut the hatch.

"Lights on." Hailee informed us as I looked towards to the windo-

I dropped my shotgun making the flashlight with it break on impact with the ground. It felt similar to my mind...it shattered...it-I'm....

That tingling sensation vibrated so viciously in my chest It made me want to puke. My face went hot red and I could hear my ears pulsing in fear. Any movement I made with my arms was answered with twitches and flinches of fear.

I only took one gasp in at the sight of what was beyond the window. My eyes wanted to go wide but felt more ready to close and faint.

"Collin? Whats wrong?" Travis asked before slamming the hatch shut...he didn't see it yet.

But when he did, when he looked up his eyes went as wide as I wanted mine to. Travis clenched his rifle closely to his chest as we both shivered there in pure fear. Each of us taking stuttering gasps of air in and leaving just as bad.

"T-T-T" I wanted Travis to say something or do something and with a hard shove I didn't even feel in my numb state until I collided with the ground.

"GET DOWN!!" He screamed as we both took cover.

I tried to reach over to my shotgun but my arm just could grip anything. Travis had to hand it over to me before I clenched it tight to my body. Holy fuck....Oh my god.

Travis and I waited for several moments before we didn't hear or feel anything move. I thought those things were just waiting for us to make a move and we would be a moving target and prey for them.

We both were breathing a lot faster now even though the air was dusty. Travis was silently whispered about our situation. At least how our chances stand. 'ah shit-oh fuck' he said as he was visibly shaking. The clanking of his assault rifle tapping the ground occasionally told me his aim would be off if it came to a fire fight...even if we did have the ammo to take them all on.

I only had what was in my shotgun and 4 extra rounds in my left pocket. Not to mention this is a shotgun, this would only be effective at close range.

"Do you think-.....Do you think they know were here?" Travis asked looking over his shoulder but not over the console that was our only shield besides the window from them.

"I don't know...I-....I-..." I said going into back into my blank state of shock. Those few seconds of seeing what was beyond that window destroyed any bastion of hope we had.

Androids...hundreds, maybe a thousand of them standing orderly beyond the window filling what looked like the whole room from my few seconds glance.

I was just looking at the ground below me, as if it were telling me all the answers I need to the endless amounts of questions running in my head, but those questions were getting mixed up with my emotions. How?! Why?!

I heard a mumble and thought maybe it was the androids moaning to themselves but it was actually Travis.

"Collin? Collin can you hear me?" He asked and it took me awhile to even nod.

"Shit...I'm going to look again." Travis told me as I looked at him and was worried about what he was going to do. But I didn't stop him or call out, nothing in my body seemed to move.

I just sat there almost expecting a glass to shatter and Travis to-...to die. They would kill him right?...or....or would they just ignore him like that one in the village attack did? I was in a trance before the next thing I knew Travis was shaking my shoulder.

"Collin! Collin, are you all right? Hey listen to me!" He said turning my whole body to face him. I almost didn't believe it. Travis still looked a bit shaken by everything but he didn't seem as worried as before.

"H-Huh?" I stuttered with my airless lungs.

"The androids...I don't think they're awake."

"What?"

"Here look." He said picking me up to my feet.

Standing uneasily to my feet I managed to keep balanced as I looked out towards the window. I saw that Travis was on to something. They didn't react, they didn't have the blood red eyes when attacking instead they were dark like when one of them dies. But there's no way these ones could be dead.

There metal was shining off the ceiling lights like the androids outside were but there was something different about them even from here...something about their faces. Why are there so many of these things here?...how-

"Collin...lets take a closer look." Travis said going over to the door. It interrupted my thoughts but as I left the room I looked back at the console controls....and thought deeply...and the more I did the more it scared me.

After squeezing back through the partially opened door we walked out to the main lab. There was a small stairway going to what appeared the storage facility of this place. There were no other experiments though....just the androids.

Travis and I obviously had our weapons at the ready. As curious as we were we both knew our lives were more important. But I was more focusing on the strategy to run if they became active.

They were indeed neatly organized like a highly disciplined line of soldiers. Their arms were to their sides and they were standing upright as if almost ready to give a salute.

But yet...unlike the others I saw that these androids faces were far different. The androids that attacked us had 2 holes for nostrils and a few parts that could display emotion, being either rage or emotionless killers.

But these ones had definitive noses and what appears to be etched in eyebrows. Almost like these ones were supposed to be made human looking. I know it might seem crazy but even the eyes seemed different. They were more relax and appeared to have a...kind expression about them.

Otherwise the bodies looked similar...but what does this mean. Why are these ones so different from the others? An...early prototype maybe?

"I don't get it." Travis mumbled pressing the barrel of his gun right against its head.

"These fucking things live here? How? Were they...." Travis said but then something struck him. I think he was coming to the same conclusion I was.

"Collin...are they-?" He was about to ask me before we heard some footsteps approaching. Turning around to see a few of the agents, Johnson including entering the room.

"Travis? Collin? The computer thing said you'd-" Johnson said before seeing what stunned us before and behaved accordingly.

"HOLY SHIT!" He screamed as all the agents took whatever cover they could but most had to either press against the wall or go prone. They looked about ready to fire like madmen before Travis was barking at them.

"Don't fire! Stand down they aren't active! Settle down!" He was yelling at them and it appears his orders worked. We went through the same thing just minutes ago.

"Jesus fucking Christ Travis! What the hell is this place?! What the fuck is going on here?!" Johnson demanded clearly still in shock but appeared to keep a soldiers mind. I suppose having that would be useful in this situation.

Travis went up to his men as I went back to the android and examined it closer. I was also keeping an ear out for Travis and his comrade's conversations.

"Listen. I know this seems stupid but these things...are different."

"Different? Are you kidding me Travis those things are trying to kill us! They killed our friends Travis, they killed the president for gods sake!" Another agent said as I noticed something on the androids body...something interesting.

"And now we have a chance to find out how they tick, maybe even use these ones as extra soldiers if we're extremely lucky!" Travis tried to offer but it didn't appear to be working.

"Or they, you know, attack us!" Another agent said sarcastically.

"How do we know these aren't the same ones who attacked us on the plane or on the village?!" Johnson demanding an answer from Travis and I knew what to say back.

"Lets just ask the computer to destroy this entire room! These things can wake up at anytime-"

"No. They can't wake up." I announced rubbing my thumb and index finger together.

"What? How the hell can you know that?" Johnson demanded an answer from me now. I turned around to look at them and said.

"They're covered in dust."

"So? This whole place is dusty!"

"Exactly...these things haven't moved in thousands of years. Look at them though; they aren't the same as the others. Something is different about them." I said looking back at the odd inactive android. Johnson walked around pondering what I was saying before throwing his hands in the air.

"I don't care these things could be just as insane as the ones that attacked us before. They could be some failed experiment so they were left here to rot!"

I admit he did have a point. The control room and the wall had extensive damage to it that I'm sure an android could create. I won't deny I would destroy this room too if they were hostile. As useful as the benefits could be from studying one fully intact, we don't exactly have much room for mistakes...each person we lose is a devastating blow to humanity now.

The weight of being in charge now seemed all the more heavier on my shoulders. Are we the last of our kind in this time? Are we doomed to die slowly through the course of time? Am I the last leader of the human race?

I'm suppose to help these men return home, give them a plan, and give them hope. But I have no idea what to do or how to get them back. I'm a college student, I don't have the answers to everything. We're learning more about computers then actually-...

...Computers...

"Hailee?" I asked loudly before the hologram of Hailee appeared a few meters to my left. The agents did point their weapons at her but didn't look ready to fire. They were still getting use to the idea that a computer was watching us...always.

"Yes Mr. Gunderson?"

"What are these?" I asked it as it looked over at the army of androids before turning back to me.

"They're SERFS - Selfless Electronic Robots For Sanitation. The Serfs purpose for the residents in Safe WRH is to make sure their basic hygiene was begin kept along with cleaning living conditions. "

"What?" Everyone except me gasp. My lips felt tight as if hesitant to ask more questions but I did in a weak voice.

"What do you mean? What are they?" I asked

"Residents in SAFE WRH were constantly distracted by having to do mundane tasks like laundry and washing. Of course while there were significant advances in cleaning technology people wanted to focus more on the possibility on returning to Earth rather than their personal hygiene. So in 3213 Chief Electronic researcher Idaki Kimoto of SAFE SER located in Japan developed an electronic servant capable of performing these tasks and assisting whenever needed."

"...What? A-Are you saying...'We' invented them?" Travis asked as I knew that had to be the only explanation.

There were no aliens, no experiments that went too far and harmed us...we did it. The androids who attacked us...were made by our very own hands.

"Yes. It was a considerable advancement. The residents now had more time to conduct experiments while the androids helped cooked and care for infants."

"NO-NO ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! T-THOSE THINGS-!....Those things fucking attacked us!" Johnson screamed at the computer who looked confused.

"Pardon?"

"The president, my friends, innocent civilians those things killed us! Whoever invented these things-no! There's no way these things helped humanity in anyway! You're probably the cause of it aren't you, you fucking holographic bitch!" Johnson screamed and was preparing to fire at the hologram even though we all knew it would do nothing.

It took 2 agents to refrain him from doing so but he was still angry and I admit so was I.

"Hailee it is true though. These things, or some other SAFE with these things attacked us. While they were different I can't help but wonder...did they ever have morals or ethics placed inside them like they did for you?" I asked.

"Of course, it was one of the first things Idaki Kimoto made sure of before making them available to the public. They were the perfect servant, unable to do harm and environmentally safe. They required no power other than the source located in their skull. " Hailee informed us

"And the residents were all okay with this?"

"Yes. Extensive research and controlled situations were conducted to see if any problems would arise. The androids had a 100% effective working efficiency. "

"Not one incident? Not one person who came forward about something that could go wrong?" I asked insisting that this couldn't possibly be.

"The earliest prototypes were considered a bit frightening. There eyes were large and inhuman which did make the younger and elderly residents uneasy around them. So a few upgrades to their facial appearance were made before everyone was perfectly having them around."

"The residents were forced to have them?" I asked wondering if maybe there was some dark plan behind all this.

"The SAFE's would hold elections if they wanted a particular invention available to their residents and if an invention was approved those who voted against weren't force to have one."

There was a paused as I took in all of this knowledge before Hailee spoke again.

"I have an advertisement if you want to watch it?" It asked me as I was surprised.

"An advertisement?...these people still made advertisements even though they were underground?"

"Yes television, internet, and video games were all still available to the residents but most preferred to work towards a better future for their next generation." It told me as I shrugged and said.

"Okay play it."

Suddenly Hailee vanished and a wide screen of that light blue haze appeared, it was similar to something like a TV screen but with no solid object projecting it. The haze looked similar to a signal that lost its reception before we heard a pleasant tone.

"Hello fellow SAFE dwellers, are you tired of having to clean your own messes? Your living quarters not as spick and span as you wanted it for your big date? Well the answer is get your every own SERFS!" A smooth talking woman said as they should clips of people looking displeased with messes that made my college dorm room look like a devastated warzone.

"SERFS? But we don't approve of anything close to slavery." A proud looking man interrupted the narrator with a fake smirk. In the background his family were off doing the usual things like kids playing and mother cooking. Something else I noticed was that all the people they've shown so far were Asian people. I think this commercial is from Japan but they are speaking English.

"Oh but these aren't human SERFS. Brought to by our humble robotic geniuses in Japan get your very own SERF today!" She said before a dramatic reveal of the very androids standing in front of us.

"Hello masters I will be your humble servant. My, My what a lovely dress you have there. Oh, but I see this unfortunate tear her. Will you allow me to patch it?" The robot asked the woman of the family who appeared bashful but allowed the robot to continue.

At an inhuman speed and precision that large tear on her dress was patch in a few seconds.

"But SERFS aren't just used for clothing repairs they can-clean your living quarters, cook you exotic food from any cookbook, and play with kids as much as you want." The narrator said as they showed clips of the androids doing those very things with great effiecency....

Th-These things were....

"Well that sounds all great but we can exactly afford to have such a wasteful machine. All other attempts at robots used oils or high amounts of electricity!" The woman said as I knew it would go to another bargain point.

"Ah but they don't use any oils or even solar power." The narrator remarked.

"What?" the whole family gasped but in that corny'I'm interested' way

"That's right the SERFS are a self powered robotic servant meaning they never need to recharge for anything! Whatever task you give them they will always be at it!" The narrator happily remarked.

"But what if they get damaged?" the son asked.

"Don't worry the androids are made from the very tough metal that no blunt object could ever pierce, and in the rare case it does get damage an mechanism located in its brain and eyes will take pictures and send them to security right away, that way everyone is safe in your SAFE!" The narrator said happily as the family welcomed the new addition to its family. Then the film ended and the holographic TV disappeared...

They...they were...made by us....they're robotic butlers.

.....WE made the androids...

A long silence filled the room. Hailee's image appeared and looked like it was waiting for our reply to the commercial. I didn't know what to say, it appeared no one did...until...

"No....NO!" Johnson yelled pulling out his gun and pointing it at the android I was standing by. It felt uneasy knowing such a frenzied man was pointing a gun at a target literally a foot away from me.

"YOU HAVE TO BE LYING! THESE THINGS ATTACKED US! You probably control them you fucking computer bitch!"

"I'm sorry agent Bullard your emotions seem to be making you-"

"Can you turn one on?" I interrupted the computer and the frenzied emotions.

Everyone looked at me in disbelief...we...I had to see it for myself.

"Yes. I am allowed only 50 robots to control for repairs to my mainframe and other needs. It was feared that a robotic intelligence could harm the humans which is why I was given limited control of them."

"Just turn on this one." I said pointing to the very android I examined and Bullard threatened to destroy.

"Are you fu-mmpfh!" Johnson said before having his mouth covered by Travis who was letting me continue with the experiment.

"Yes mister Gunderson."

Suddenly the blue haze was glowing beneath the one android as everyone waited. Some had their weapons pointed at the machine but I merely stood in front of it.

Then we saw the soft blue haze travel into the circuits of the android. A whole mass of light bluish lines almost similar to our veins and arteries glow through its silver metal before its eyes had the bluish glow and the brain having the brightest blue of it all.

Then the blue haze vanished. At first the android didn't move until I saw it blink its eyes. Everyone stammered a breath but kept their weapons at the ready. The android was looking above me before I saw something close to what we would call a pupil looked at me.

Its blank emotionless stare made me stare right back at it. Would it attack right away? Is it not fully functional? I was clenching my hand ready to quickly draw out my shotgun and blast it in case if it made a hostile move.

But then its once wide eyes relaxed, what appeared to be its stern brow angled itself in a friendly calm way and....its mouth had no sharp teeth, only flat non threatening jelled teeth it looked like.

"Hello Master I am SERF 2182AD. You can call be whatever name you like. What shall it be?" It asked rather quickly and we all looked at it in the same awe we gave the tribals. It spoke perfect English, not a hint of interference or static. Its lips moved like an humans would, this thing was made to be...human.

The only thing I managed to say was.

"What?"

"What, that's a good name. I like it, you are great at names master. What is your name if I may ask master? " It asked me and it felt...

I don't know what I felt. This machine-...I can still see the red eyes of that android in the back of my head. It had no face, only the calm blank glare of a killer but this one had a gaze you would give to a new friend. It even blinks!

"What is your purpose machine?" I asked it in a demanding tone.

"I am here to clean your messes and to make sure you keep healthy. By the way you have some rather unappealing facial hair growing. If you would like I could shave it off for you!" It answered gleefully but I wasn't about to have any of that.

"NO! Stay right there." I ordered it and it did just so.

"Fuck you all....Is this some demented joke to you robotic freak?!" Johnson broke free of his comrades trying to restrain him.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear a joke. Would you mind telling me it again?" The android answered keeping its smile. It was almost scary how unthreatened the machine felt.

"What the fuck it this?!" Johnson screamed pressing his pistol right against the robots forehead.

"Why that is a desert eagle model 2014 nice old gun sir." The robot answered thinking Johnson was referring to the gun. It would almost be comical if it wasn't for Johnson being dead serious about killing it and-...now its time to see if a theory of mine is true.

"Wait Johnson! Step back!" I told Johnson and he looked at the angry bitterly. I know every part of him wanted to kill it. He never kept his eyes off of it as he backed off and the android only blinked and tilted its head like a curious dog would.

I walked in front of it and the android looked at me now with its happy face. It appeared completely oblivious to the fact that a half a dozen armed men had there weapons out and some wanted to kill it.

"Android!"

"My name is What master."

"Huh?"

"My name is What, you just gave it to me."

"..." I answered with silence as I felt some sort of...curiosity with it. Its totally mindless, its not thinking ahead or understanding its situation and it didn't defend itself when threatened. But still that doesn't mean that it isn't capable of harming another.

"Activate self defense." I ordered ready to see its weapons displayed.

"Pardon sir?" It asked.

"Your defenses activate them." I said as it once again tilts its head.

"I have no defenses sir. I am made of metal that makes it nearly impossible to dent me even when smacked with a baseball bat." It informed by tapping its chest showing to me that the commercial didn't lie.

"Display weapons?" I asked wondering what was wrong. I-I thought this thing would gladly show its capability of defending its master.

"I have no weapons sir, I do however have scissors which can be dangerous if use improperly."

What?....what is happening? This thing isn't showing itself capable of attacking anyone...maybe...maybe I need to try other things.

I suddenly reached down to my shoe and pulled off my sock and held it up to the android. Before I could say anything it made a comment.

"Your sock appears dirty sir and the odor would be unappealing, may I suggest you wash your feet better master?"

"Cut this sock with your blade!" I ordered ignoring its comment.

"My what sir?"

"YOUR BLADE!" I yelled

"I am sorry sir I do not have a blade."

"Just cut it in half!"

Then it approached me. Its feet walking towards me like any humans would but it stomped hard against the metallic ground before stopping in front of me. It raised its hand and I saw it sink into its arm! Yes this is it! Its-

But then a dulled edged plastic knife incapable of stabbing a wet potato came out and with great speed and cutting down the sock in half like a lumberjack does with wood.

"All done sir...may I ask what was the point of that?"

Enough of this!

"Wait right here. Don't move or eavesdrop!" I told it and it nodded happily still.

I went back to the agents who looked confused beyond all belief. We gather in a circle and occasionally looked back at the android who was looking around at his brothers.

"I don't fucking get it. This thing should be showing off its blade or taking out its laser cannon why isn't it working?!" I asked.

"How the hell are we suppose to know?" An agent asked

"It didn't defend itself, its not showing its capabilities when ordered...There is...one other thing we can try." Travis said as we listened in.

........

I nodded in agreement before Travis pushed me back and started yelling.

"Are you fucking kidding me Collin?! You want to activate more of them? That's it! You're a terrible leader!" Travis yelled as the other agents looked just as angry with me.

"What the-?! It was just an idea! Don't forget you made me in charge Travis!"

"Yeah but I didn't think you'd unleash more of these metal freaks on us!" Travis pointed at the active android that looked at us...and a bit to my amazement with now worried eyes.

"...We need to get rid of him." Johnson said as my eyes went wide.

"W-WHAT?!" I screamed in horror. It appears to have caught the attention of the android.

"I'm sorry Collin...There may not be that many of us left but we can't have a disaster like you waiting to wipe us out." Travis said holding his pistol pointed right at me.

"N-No...y-you can't I-"

"What is happening master?" The android asked walking towards the fight but two of the other agents pointed their weapons at it.

"Stay out of it you metal abomination! We're killing this kid and leaving him here to rot forever!"

"N-NO Travis please! Please don't kill me! I'm begging you! I'm sorry please! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" I begged for my life as I got down on my knees and prayed.

"I'm sorry." Travis said before raising his firearm. I was in the position of the victim to an execution. I was sobbing and whimpering right now, waiting helplessly for the end.

Then from out of nowhere I heard rushed footsteps and everyone reacted quickly...only to see the android covering me...I could only flinch before...i-it wrapped its arms around me.

"I cannot allow you to harm my master! Please master use my body as a shield if you must in order to escape!"

What was this...why isn't-

"No....no fuck those assholes! Attack them! They'll kill both of us if you don't shoot them!" I pleaded with a vengeful heart....

What it didn't see was my hand reaching behind me. But what it did...or what it suggested shocked all of us...

"No sir! Each human life is precious! If you activate my brethren they will hold off the aggressors until you get security to help!" It said as it caught us all by surprise....

The grip on my gun tucked in my pants loosened as I said.

"Android...What...deactivate." I ordered as suddenly its now lifeless body fell to the ground with a crash. I stood up as Travis and the other approached it.

The last idea failed.

"I-It won't do it even to protect its master. What does this mean?" Travis asked. His plan to unknowingly make the android attempt to kill them failed as well. Before any of us could speak Hailee appeared.

"That is because they were programmed to never hurt a human being even if they were aggressors and criminals." She said as we all shook our heads.

"There's got to be something else to it Hailee. The ones that attacked us on the plane and the village had fucking lasers and sword arms! How did they activate them?!" Travis demanded clearly not in the mood for unclear answers.

"Village?" Hailee asked as we knew we had to change the subject.

"Nothing, you were saying?" Travis quickly countered as Hailee did just so.

"Agent Travis no SERFS were ever armed with any such dangerous weapon. The humans put in a direct limited control measure inside of me allowing me to only control 50 of them at a time at most. They still feared technological takeovers and so placed countermeasures inside of me and the SERFS." It repeated what it had said earlier in more detail.

"What kind of counter measures?" I asked.

"A SERF is suppose to run a diagnostic check every minute to make sure no foreign germs or items were placed inside it. If one was detected it would immediately turn off and alarm me of the problem. If the SERFS believed they were too dangerous to attempt to fix they would destroy themselves in a self detonated explosion. "

"These things...explode?" I asked wondering how anyone would be comfortable knowing a machine could explode at any minute.

"Yes. They would give off a warning and try to isolate itself from any harmful damage to the SAFE and its residents. This never actually happened except in testing facilities." Hailee told us and it still made me wonder about something.

"You said...you can control some of these machines?" I inquired details about that.

"Yes. I am allowed to control around 50 at a time for maintenance needs. The SERFS were given a wide variety of tools and personal hygiene gadgets. They are capable of multitasking far greater than to human mechanics ability and lifting items 10 times heavier than them if needed. They could also work continuously and handle electric shocks that would knock a human unconscious. The SERFS were built to be the ultimate worker."

"More like the ultimate soldier." Johnson scuffed at the idea and I had to admit this design had its flaws. Machines capable of enduring such physical punishment and still able to perform a task would be perfect soldiers. All it would have taken would be one scientist to add new commands into its programming and-...I suppose we do need answers.

"Who in the SAFEs built the androids?" I asked.

"The scientists and engineers. The scientists would be responsible for the internal components of the SERFS. They made sure the programming of the SERFS was efficient. The engineers would be the ones to actually assemble the SERFS."

"Is it possible that one of the scientists or engineers purposely put in something that could harm other living beings?" I asked.

"No. All work was double checked with colleagues and myself. That way we could ensure its safety to the residents."

I ran my fingers through my hair and let out an irritated sigh. They've accounted for every possible mistake but that doesn't make any sense. Maybe the androids we encountered are some sort of...failed experiment maybe? An attempt to make them security guards?

I was running out of questions before Travis came forward and insisted.

"Could anything be capable of reprogramming the SERFS?" The question seemed pointless and I didn't know what Travis expected when all other questions were answered making my theories wrong.

"Yes." Hailee answered and there was a shiver of fear that ran through me.

"Who or what?" Travis asked wanting the clear answer.

"Any SAFE's main computer for example ...me."

"You could reprogram them?...h-how could you or another computer do it?" Travis asked as we all listened carefully.

"Our programming can be switch by a unanimous decision in a SAFE. While each had the same purpose to safeguard humanity, each SAFE could abide by its own laws. For example this SAFE prohibited the use of marijuana while other vaults found them as a useful stress reliever. "

"So each SAFE had its own interpretations of controversial laws? "

"Yes. If a council did not 100% agree to an interpretation the motion would carry on until it was fully agreed or disagreed on. "

"S-So if another SAFE agreed to allow SERFS to have weapons and be capable eliminate living beings could that be why some might be hostile?" I asked Hailee who paused then answered.

"It is possible. But sadly my records concerning most other SAFES laws are corrupted, some of which I believe can never be recovered."

So we have a theory but no way to confirm it...

Another sigh left my lips...This has to be the worst thing that could happen to us. This is our planet, our land...and we created the greatest threat to the next generation of life...

My throat began to tighten thinking about each horrible thing that could happen to us if the tribals ever found out about this. If they knew we created the androids we would all be executed. They may have treated us as equals but that's because they had no reason to hate us...

But now they have every reason to hate us. If the androids weren't around the tribals could have advanced by hundreds of years. They might have discovered this area and improved their lifestyle to the point of being a utopia. It might not be but if they haven't fought each other for thousands of years they would easily be the next major inhabitants of the Earth....and they can't be because our of people's inventions.

The guilt wasn't on us...it was in us. We were so afraid of work, so afraid of inefficiency that we created the perfect machine...and it turned on the very lives it was meant to help.

Castro...

I can't believe I thought of him at a time like this but I can't help but remember that face of joy he had when I kept my promise to make him a warrior. Our talks and our friendship...his problem...his peoples problem were because of my peoples mistake.

They'll kill us for this. If they find out what we did they will hunt us down. I don't think any village would welcome us. We would be alone...we mind as well have been alone on a foreign planet.

We've betrayed everything...everyone...we killed each other and hid...we destroyed out holy cities....we destroyed our monuments...we built devices that would outlast us and we transfer our sins into them. Because of us....these people will suffer forever. These machines will never give up unless they are all dead or they are entirely destroyed.

"Thank you Hailee...that is all." Travis said

"Goodbye agent Williams." Hailee said before disappearing. Leaving us all in that room...with the agents of destruction created by our hands.

(Present Day)

The 6 of us in that room had to swear never to tell anyone, including the other agents who even knew about the bunker. This discovery had to be kept secret at all costs even if it means our lives. The bunker also had to be kept secret by the 20 who originally came to the expedition. Everything about this had to be kept locked away from the tribals.

We left the bunker hours later, the computer oddly didn't stop us when we left and locked the place from the outside. As we walked back towards the light of the surface I wanted to promise myself that we wouldn't return. That all of those devices would invite more chaos...but I couldn't.

All it would take is one too curious child to discover the androids. We set up camp by the cave both guarding it and because none of us wanted to return to the village. A crime like this back on Earth would be immediate death sentence and I have no doubt the tribals will do the same to us.

They've lived in fear of these things for thousands of years and yet somehow they've been altered from their original purpose of servitude to killing machines. None of us would have any idea how to reprogram them so even if they demanded we change them it would be impossible.

How would we even get those killer androids to the lab to reprogram in the first place? Even though some didn't want to kill us I doubt they would follow us into traps.

Its all our fault...all of the tribals ancestors who were killed by the androids...hundreds of thousands of villagers...fathers, mothers, elderly, sick....children...all of them dead by the hands of our species.

When we set up our tents I couldn't sleep. I don't think anyone was by all the tossing and turning. The guilt was too much, enough to make me stare at my shotgun for longer than usual...that depressing feeling back when...back on that day. My throat felt tight and I couldn't breath. It was like God was crushing me with all of this. Why?...Why did this have to happen.

We had an early morning meeting. We made our vows of secrecy and returned to the village with a cover story, one of which I will have to use at the elder meeting

Oddly enough it appears we weren't questioned by any of the villagers. At least none that I could see.

Only a few hours from our arrival were we invited to a play the others were working on and I attended it. I stared at the tribals more than I did paying attention to the play. It made me think that we 'humans' were like Tiran and Tesun's men would be the tribals. Even though we are too great species capable of such good...even if we do share some DNA, they will enviably kill us for our crimes.

Now here I am having to put our fabricated story to the test. I cannot, I will not tell them the truth. As much as my species deserves to be punished the people here right now didn't make them. I didn't want to use that as my only defense though, it wouldn't be enough.

Its not just this tribe but all other tribes that live across America now. Tribes that have been wiped out by our creations. As I gazed into the fire of the elder meeting I imagined all the flames the tribals and their ancestors experienced. When they lost their loved ones, when they lost their homes.

When we first discovered the tribals I thought this place could be the start of a new era of peace for humans...but our sins leaked into there time. I cannot allow them to suffer because of our mistakes.

As horrible as the guilt of burden was on me I knew one thing in my mind. No matter what, no matter what it takes.

We will find redemption....WE WILL KILL THE ANDROIDS AND GIVE THE TRIBALS A NEW HOME!

Because when I looked into the faces of the elders, when I saw the smiles and faces of awe of the children of the play I see a new way of life. A way for this Earth to heal from all the bloodshed we placed on it! We will be harbingers of a new race! We will advise them, lead them to the path of success and destroy any thing that might harm them! Even if it means....ourselves....

"Collin?" Akia asked me but I was still entranced by the fire. Its red flames alluring me as the elders waited with eager looks.

"He must have been surprised by the play too!" An elder said before laughing.

"Not me. I sensed Tiran was his lost son this whole time!" Another elder scoffed but then we heard the fire cracked and suddenly everyone laughed at the elder and a few pointed fingers at his embarrassment for some reason.

Akia was the only one who didn't break her stern glare but she did look over at the elder. The fire must be like the shamans. They believe that when the fire cracks at the end of a statement it is a lie. I can only imagine that left a few truths to be forgotten. Surely they cannot believe that...but if they do...This could either turn to be a disadvantage or advantage to us right now.

"That fire...is it like yours Akia?" I asked as she looked back at me.

"It is. The fire can sense wisdom with powerful flames and wood cracks when lies and chaos are spread." She told me as I felt a few nervous sweats bullets beneath my shirt.

"So if I were to say something like....I am a woman." I said before the fire crackled and this brought some more laughter along with the, admittedly funny comment.

"And here I thought it wouldn't." An elder fox said as it did make me crack a smile at the stressful time. I knew the plan to lie about the spirit telling me nothing but riddles wouldn't work. I originally planned on getting the chief to be alone with me but that doesn't seem it will work.

I couldn't think of anything. I hate being on the spot, impromptu speeches were my most hated things but I usually got easy subjects. I felt a bit woozy and scared out of my mind.

"Collin? Are you alright?" Teryal asked as I looked up with my frightened expression.

" I-I don't know chief I'm just-..." I was about to answer before seeing my chance. No I can't convince them to leave in a short time...but maybe I can convince them to meet at a different time.

"Look at the man he's pale!" A concerned elder pointed out as I waved my hand and went with the woozy feeling.

"No-No its okay I-I just ate some berries in the woods when returning back to Kanza."

"They weren't orange berries were they Collin?" Castro asked as I tried to act calm. I had to go with this ruse and sadly use Castro's concern to my own needs.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Oh no. Father please he'll be vomiting more than actually telling us anything. I should have told you what was safe to and not to eat."

"No please we-we have to continue the council." I said before pretending to be on the verge of gagging.

"No my son is right. There is no shame in leaving a council like this Collin. You are a visitor and such things are to be expected. We can ask you more tomorrow if you feel up to it." Teryal told me as Akia looked at me very closely but never did say anything.

"Okay-again I apologize." I said hastily as Castro stood up and came up to me. I hunched over and let Castro escort me out.

I walked a bit slowly and tried my best to still look sick. Maybe I should have considered taking up acting as a major in college. Castro had one arm around my back with his other pressing firmly against my chest.

"How are you feeling Collin? You looked ready to pass out in there." He asked as a few others noticed the human other in a sicken state.

"I might have-" I said before adding in a deep cough and clearing my throat. "I feel so embarrassed and awful for leaving the council."

"Its happened before Collin, many elders have skipped if they were wounded or sick. Some don't show up because they don't want to from what I've heard." Castro told me.

"But still I'm sorry."

"Its okay....I wish people didn't have to get sick like this." Castro said out of nowhere as I looked at him nearly forgetting to act sick.

"Huh?"

"I mean not having anything that ills people. I've known mothers who were too weak to hold or talk to their newborns because of harsh fevers that not even Frostgrass could extinguish. Or how a great warrior in a village gets only one small injury and dies later sweating completely immobile." Castro described, as I knew he meant infections.

"Even I have gotten stomach aches from time to time. The healers and shamans do their best and have saved many lives but we can only harvest so much." Castro said as I wanted to say something but...

My mind went back to our own medicine. We would be considered the more medically advanced race between our two. We have devices that can detect problems before they even appear. Our 'healers' have entire staffs to help them with everything. The healers can only see to a few at a time.

Back home we have entire 'villages' dedicated to treating the sick and injured. While we still aren't ready to combat every disease, last centuries most notorious killers can be wiped out by a simple pill or shot.

...Not to mention what advancements might have been made in the bunker.

If we built robots and holograms I can only imagine medical advancements have been made too. Maybe humans didn't have any diseases to worry about in the bunker.

It pains my heart to think that we could help these tribals, if we only didn't invent those androids I would have considered taking a few of the elders to the bunker, show them what our race accomplish and try to give them the aid they could use to help advance their whole species.

But we can't. Once they found out about the androids we're as good as dead and no medicine can cure that. I probably looked like I was getting greener at these thoughts...

I-...I wanted to be a leader to help people. I knew suffering and I thought I knew how to prevent violence. I was completely neutral to everything for awhile so I would have no biases but this....

This situation is just too much. I have to worry about the plane crash survivors and the actions of my race as a whole. Having to keep their existence a secret while also helping the tribals in anyway I can. I have to share details about our history while keeping the unpleasant parts out in a clever way so that don't suspect we're hiding something.

With our limited numbers we have to defend the tribe as part of our agreement and have to guard the cave to make sure the tribals don't discover it. And last somehow we need to find a way to send the others home, meaning we are going to have to send more men out to find a time machine...

This is exactly what I feared. We have too much and so few men to do so. If we lose a single one it will everything all the more impossible. I've only ever juggled between homework and personal problems. I was only going to be trained in as a general I only made speeches and memorized military actions at Harvard.

Castro noticed I didn't talk anymore and I think he thought I was too sick to speak anymore. We arrived back at my hut and he help my to my little cot bed.

"There you go Collin. I'm going to fetch some herbal soup. It should make you feel better after a day."

"Okay...and Castro thanks."

"Its no trouble Collin just rest." Castro said petting my head almost like a concerned mother. I also found it weird that a walking dog was petting 'my' head. As Castro was about to leave I don't know what came over me to ask.

"Am I trouble Castro?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" Castro asked tilting his head. There was the burning sensation in my mind telling me to stop but I kept talking.

"What if...we did something that made your people hate us?"

There was an agonizing silence between the both of us. It made me think that he thought of this too. I expected a low mumbled answer or for him to just walk away...but what happened startled me. Suddenly I heard a chuckle.

"Hehehe..oh Collin you really are sick. Your people have been nothing short of a blessing. You're powerful warriors, have an interesting culture, and care enough to help little young warriors like me help get respected. I could never be mad at you Collin. Its just the sickness talking, just sleep and you'll be back to normal tomorrow." He said as he walked out.

So...he denies the idea. I'm not sure to think that's a good thing. It does help trying to hide the truth from him but if he found out...it would crush him. He trusted me, my people's machines have plagued them for centuries. He might go back to being that nobody if humans are considered enemies.

...I'm thinking about him rather than me at the moment.

I suppose this shouldn't surprise me. I knew since ...that day ...I could never be redeemed. A philosophy I created and took to heart is that those who help the others the most are those who consider themselves beyond saving.

Real heroes truly place others ahead of themselves. That means placing no love, no feelings or biases. Justice is both a beautiful and horrible thing. As much as I want the destruction of the androids if the tribals found out I might not resist any punishment.

If my punishment is to become the symbol of human evil, if my destiny is to be hated and suffer for the crimes of my people I will do so. Maybe one day they could understand, if we destroyed the androids and waited for many years to expose the truth. But for now I will do whatever I can to help the tribals.

Castro came back several minutes later, I had my back facing him because I was pretending to sleep but I did flip around and tried to sit up, still pretending to act sick.

"Here, it will have a strong taste but make sure you drink it." Castro told me as he handed me the clay bowl of soup.

It had a weird texture to it. It was dark green and looked like some sort of mixture of lettuce and dried chopped up broccoli. I won't deny it looked awful but I may be pleasantly surprised. I remember the fish at their celebration was delicious as were their drinks so I guess bottoms up.

Placing the clay bowl against my lips I took a big sip and immediately regretted it. There was an instant gag reflex at the strong bitter sensation that tasted like ass. The chunks of whatever was in it didn't help as they were dry but didn't absorb any of the surrounding liquid making the meal both dry to the bone and wet all over. I struggled to get it down as the liquid did taste like wet spinach but it was easier than the chunks to get down.

After a minute of battling the first I placed the bowl on my lap and wiped my slightly quivering lips. I let out an exasperated sigh of displeasure before commenting out loud.

"Eck! God that was awful! It tasted like shit. " I said as Castro's ears suddenly laid back and I feared the worst.

"Oh...sorry. I wanted to try making it myself. I guess you can throw it out if-" He said as I could see the green on his fingers that were playing with each other trying to cover his insecurity. He must have really wanted to take care of me. I sighed feeling like an asshole but...I still dreaded the idea of having to eat the rest of the soup.

"No. I'm sorry Castro that was really rude of me. Okay." I said before once again taking more sips of the strong concoction. I still can't deny it was an awful taste, one that felt like I was literally trying to make myself feel sicker rather than just pretend. My face was beet red and my facial muscles tensed up but after fighting back all the urges to really throw up I finished the bowl.

My stomach growled and I felt queasy but I did it. Air had never tasted so good before this moment. Castro looked a bit amazed by my sudden feat and I saw a soft smile that appeared on his face as I gave him back the bowl.

"Wow, I-I didn't think you'd drink it all....Are you feeling alright? I hope I haven't made you sicker." He said placing the bowl to the ground and placing his hand on my head checking for a fever I'd imagine.

"No...actually now I feel like I got a lot of vitamins out of that drink." I said suddenly feeling like I had drank a months worth of vegetables in one soup. Awful to do so but it would make a person feel healthy right after I would think.

"Vita-what?" Castro asked as I took a bit a time to explain.

"Oh um well I guess you could say like...good energy from certain foods. Like carrots, if you ate a bunch you should see better in the dark." I told him some basic stuff as he looked intrigued.

"Really? Wow how did your people ever find that out?"

"Lots of experiments. I remember once helping to see if eating limes could cure colds....they do not." I joked as Castro's tail began to wag and we both chuckled.

"I can't believe how much your people experiment with the plants and nature in your world. It would be so amazing to explore a new land, learn about its people, its history and ride that flying machine...they do not crash often I hope?" Castro asked as his tail stopped wagging at the last part.

"Hehe no they don't....but Castro I will say that this world is very...similar to our world. You have grass, grains, trees, lakes, ponds, rivers, fish, air, clouds, and rain like our world does. "

"But your world is not constantly plagued with the metal men." He said as it felt like those words struck my heart.

"The...metal men." I repeated

"Yes I can't believe such loathsome creations dedicate their lives to destruction and death. I do not know if they once held some different purpose when they first arrived but they must have strayed from their path. I cannot wait until they gods wipe them off the planet."

"...Do you hate the gods?.." I asked almost in a trance like state as Castro looked over at me. He might have thought I was still dazed from the fake sickness but I had to know.

"Huh? Hate the gods? What do you mean?"

"I was told that the metal men were created by the gods as punishment for one war you had, one that made you stop fighting each other entirely. But here you are so many years later...are you not at peace with the other tribes? Aren't you angry with the gods who haven't held their end of the prophecy they told?" I said as the corners of my eyes felt ready to water. Aren't you angry...with us?

"The prophecy tells only when the white phoenix returns that the metal men will leave forever. Since you weren't the white phoenix there must still be evil in the world. The gods gave us this beautiful gift and we misused it at first, how can I be angry when they are trying to save nature and teach us?" Castro said and it told about his personal beliefs.

"Yeah I see...I'm sorry Castro my head is still a bit fuzzy I apologize if I'm asking awkward things or things I'm going to forget asking-" I said rubbing my head.

"Its okay, once I thought the soup they were giving me was water and I thought I was drowning in my own hallucinations. They said I was kicking and whimpering like a new born. " He said scratching his chin a bit embarrassed to share it but I appreciated it.

It appears Castro is religious about his beliefs. He thinks the androids are a necessary evil to make they do not harm each other again. Almost like with us except we have human evil, greed, gluttony, and wrath. I'm not sure which god is right to do either on their subordinates.

I haven't been a religious person for a long time. I didn't see the point after awhile but its not that I entirely hate religion or want it destroyed. Its important parts of history and destroying history is one of the worst crimes out there in my opinion. If it gives people hope who am I to take it away but as long as they do not force it on others then I believe that scientific advancement and religion can coexist...

But the metal men are not the inventions of their gods. For all we know their gods are looking at their suffering with as much sadness as the tribals do...and their gods might despise us for creating them.

Then Castro sat down on the cot and looked at me with a smile.

"Besides I can never leave someone to suffer sickness alone. My father and brother have and I bet your parents have as well." He said as I flinched. My cold brooding thinking was replaced with memorizes of my past.

I-....I remember my mother and father giving me tomato soup with grilled cheese when I had the flu or nasty tasting liquid medicine when I had a stomachaches. I would be in bed the whole day watching TV...sometimes my mother or father would come in and watch a kids movie with me...and we'd talked about things we would do after I got better. Things that we already did and how amazing they were. They were around me the whole time...they cared...

My eyes looked at my covers and I clenched the linens tighter and answered.

"....Yeah..." Very faintly.

"Well you tell me anything you need. I'll check up on you every hour and don't push yourself Collin." He said before leaning over and-

kissed my forehead. His cold moist muzzle was pressed against me for only a second by the area he kissed felt numb. I flinched again surprised by the sudden display of affection. Castro backed away.

"Oh sorry its just a thing my people do when they wish for others to get well. The healers and shamans do it to injured warriors. Parents do it for their young around her, I'm sorry if that was awkward for you. It won't happen again without warning. See you Collin." He said getting up and waving goodbye.

I was still stunned by this feeling. This warm sensation that burns really hot around the area his kissed me. It appears that warm fire was spreading to the rest of my body.

The unpleasantness of the soup seemed to completely fade from existence as I went up to rub my forehead almost expecting to have the fuzzy feeling go to my hand. I looked at my hand and it began to shake as I sniffed a sob. A pathetic whimper left my lips as I covered my eyes palm of my hand.

I was trying to cover the noise rather than actually stop my sobbing. Like a floodgate all the pent up misery of my childhood came out at once. Yes my parents did take care of me, loved me...told me nothing I could do could make them hate me....but then after that day.

That man with gun...Whenever I got sick it was always up to me to take of myself. My parents never checked up on me. Even when my whole body ached, when moving caused me to throw up I had to not only go to the cabinets by myself but I had to clean the floors where I puked....While they were still in the house just sitting downstairs.

When I was moaning out my pain for them to help my moans went unanswered, unaffected by those who told me only the sweetest things I wanted to hear. I was completely abandoned, it felt like they wouldn't even noticed if one of those diseases killed me.

I tried to put on the kids movies we watch, a sad distant cry for them to come to me, talk about the things we could do....but they never did. No matter what part of the movie was on, the devastating betrayal, the cute romance, the sad death, or....the happy reunion to the lost family.

"Why?...W-Why did that have to a happen? Why didn't they care?!" I said to myself in a sobbing breakdown. I was faintly worried about Castro hearing me and asking what was wrong but he wasn't here...and I was somewhat thankful.

All the pain I experienced taught me how to deal with it. It taught me never to think anyone would help me if not to only help themselves. The therapists who were helping me were only doing it for their paychecks. The teachers who consoled me were only parts of their job. My classmates only pretended to care if they wanted me to help for a certain project...I was used by everybody.

The kindest people are those who consider themselves beyond saving. My philosophy....my life has revolved around those words. I was a failure in so many ways, I failed what was most important to me so who I live for is others...others like Castro.

But something doesn't add up. Why is Castro helping me? Why did he volunteer to help me when anyone in the village would when asked...is he trying to use me? But then I think about how I helped him and he thought I was going to blackmail him. I told him though that we were even because we were allowed to live in Kanza.

And the kiss....this has been the only time anyone made any physical display of caring to me. The therapist always sat away on his chair. The teacher behind his desk, the classmates a distance away....Castro was the only one to lean into an ill person in need...he was the only one who came close to me...

Perhaps my years of loneliness made me think physical attention, like handshakes and hugging were far more stimulating than just sitting back. Alex's hand on my shoulder on the plane and when he carried me when I passed out on the way to Kanza for the first time, those made me remember him. Travis's guidance and despite his fear how he overcomes most of it to show me that I can too. Even Johnson's cigar was enough for me to recognize him.

And now Castro...with me handing the spear...and our dance...and him kissing my forehead.

What am I feeling?

Just as I thought Castro did check up on me every hour. Each time that leather flap opened it reminded of each time my parents didn't check on me. Castro...he was like my loyal dog back home...rest in peace little buddy....

Castro had to chase off little kids who thought humans turned green when sick. I dwell on the voices of the children playing with him...they are innocent. These aren't creatures who have mutated and become feral. They are living beings, capable of compassion to those in need.

And each time the androids attack that compassion is pushed away by our own doing. By some mistake we are dooming them. I might have looked like I was asleep with my eyes open but I was awake and thinking hard about what to do.

I felt like crying, confess our crime and pray they would be merciful but that won't help them. They were once capable of anger and I do not wish to bring that hatred into their peaceful society. Even if they don't realize it we created them and-...

And we're the only ones that have a chance to truly destroy them.

The general training was starting to show. These tribals are our allies but they don't have the discipline or weaponry capable of wiping out an intelligent machine. With time and proper training they could handle guns and more.

But these weapons won't be enough. We need something more, all the androids lasers are useless after they get destroyed so where are we...

The SAFE.

But that won't work either, it's a place where humanity was meant to evolve so weapons were very low in demand I'd imagine. But still we have an underground bunker that has tools and knowledge that could help a caveman build a laser for all we know!

Yes...we are going to use the SAFE to help the tribals, the androids cannot be reasoned to and we owe the tribals our lives. I believe in evolution, I believe with a full heart that these tribals are the next stage of life. Beings with the physical capabilities of the once feral animals but with the kindness we humans we wished was possible...and if we gave them all the knowledge on how to advance themselves.

I remember thinking before we should be the harbingers of a new age and only now was I thinking of actually doing it. Yes...for Castro, for Iona, for the elders, and for the children. For life in general we will help them take back the planet. We will safeguard the next evolution!

It must have been either 9 or 10 Pm because it was dark outside. Castro checked on me one last time before whispering that he would check on me the next morning. He thought he was talking to himself but I was listening and I now I was ready to act.

I got out of bed and went out to the village. Most people were inside their tepees by now. I walked with a fire in my eyes that I never had before. This feeling is something I cannot describe. Its my energy, my purpose. I wonder if anyone was placed in this situation would we be willing to give up our futures, our beliefs to help a new generation to a better future?

The child inside of me had to wait, the desire for attention had to be ignored to place the tribals needs in front of my own. I will do everything in my power to make sure that humanities mistakes are corrected!

I am the elder of the humans, the last representative of the human race and I won't lead my people to create a world long lost and I won't live on the kindness of others suffering!

I was approaching the elder hut where Castro's father lived. I know he would be surprised and possibly suspicious of a late night visit but we had to do whatever it takes to have his cooperation and trust.

But I surprised by the shadows of a few people inside Teryals hut. While it appeared the main fire was out there were a few torches lit and the conversation was hushed but clearly important to the people whispering it.

I don't know if the tribals realize that you can hear perfectly fine if the only thing blocking the noise is a linen or leather. I snuck up closer hearing Teryal's voice along with others I didn't recognize.

"-Even the hero Bofer has fallen Teryal! The metal men are advancing slowly but I know they will be upon you soon!" A young man's voice said

"Have they turned Fullen into their base?" Teryal's voice asked. What was this Fullen...do they mean the androids?

"They are building it as we speak, it was decided that it would take an alliance of tribes to drive the metal men out. We should expect many losses..." An elderly woman's voice joined them.

"The metal ones have rarely been driven out of territory they hold. I have lost my ancestors homeland and I will bare that burden of shame for as long as I live. If we don't break through their defenses they mind as well control the whole territory." The young voice said.

"That is something we cannot give them. Already I've heard of scouts exploring the woods nearby here." Teryals voice answered lowly

"They've never been this bold before! How is it that so many have gathered for such an attack?" The young male's voice asked in a panicked tone.

"This is not the first time young chieftain that the metal ones have attacked in such numbers...do you not remember why we first came here?" The elderly woman asked as I could sense something bad behind the reason.

"The metal ones drove us from our old homes. We have always stayed on the outskirts of their territory in hopes to reclaim it. As much as we want to believe we have taken back territory it's always been territory they have abandoned for some reason."

"Then what you are suggesting is either run or attempt to maneuver around the metal men in hopes to reclaim our homeland...Shaman Ula you must understand that such a thing would mean the deaths of many of the sick and old. If the metal ones attacked us while we were moving we would be helpless against them." The young voice said.

"No trying to go back to our original homeland is not an option. Kanza is located in the perfect place to feed my people. There are few places to run to from here!" Teryal said.

"I have heard that the lakes up north are plentiful with fish." The shaman named Ula said.

"This isn't just about whats right for my people!" Teryal snapped at them for a moment. There was another silence as Teryal sniffed as if ready to cry.

"Teryal...I know you have tried to help your people as best as you could without your wife. She was fierce and brave and beautiful. You cannot stop blaming yourself for what happened." Ula said.

"I won't leave the place she wanted a final stand against the metal men! Aren't you tired?!" He asked a seemingly random question but I knew what he was going to say next.

"Aren't any of you tired of running?! Dahlia was tried of running too...that's why she became a warrior, she convinced me to unite the surround tribes to take back our land. She became a hero...she wanted us, the people, to have a place where there was no fear of losing our homes. This is exactly what she was fighting against." Teryal told the two as the young voice shook his head.

"That dream is lost Teryal. Heroes from all walks of life have tried every way thinkable to defeat them but the metal men only grow in numbers. When the white phoenix returns we will have our dream." The young voice said.

Teryal was silent but clearly hurt by the words. I couldn't imagine what he must be feeling but I was trying. To have a loved one fight so hard for something and only to lose it. Teryal was a kind ruler but he also wanted to change things. He can't though....not without.

I stood up confident of my plan, confident of my decision as I spoke out.

"And long ago it was considered a dream to fly through the sky, now back home there are considered a commonplace thing." I said before entering the hut.

I saw that the shaman named Ula was a wolf and looked much older compared to Akia. The young voice came from a young looking tiger who was adorned with as many feathers as Teryal was. The newcomers looked at me with large eyes and backed away at my approached but Teryal didn't.

"What in the gods?!" The young tiger said scared by my appearance as Teryal stepped in front of them both.

"Oh forgive me for not telling you sooner. We have new guests in Kanza as well. I thought you were sick Collin." Teryal said as Ula looked at me curiously like Akia first did with me.

"I got better." I answered quickly.

"I see...these are the strange visitors from the sky. Not immortal but possess weapons without equal. They came from a something resembling a phoenix if I remember right." Ula said as the tiger kept his distance.

"Its so weird. Where's all its fur? Does it understand us?" the young tiger asked.

"I understand you perfectly...and I understand your situation." I said to them as all their ears folded down.

"You heard huh Collin?...It didn't want to worry your people after all they've been through and-and I cannot tell my people that they will lose their homes again. But these aren't the concerns for your people Collin."

"When it concerns my new home it is my damn business." I said thinking that sounded like something a cheesy admiral might say.

"You wanted to know what I found in the cave yes?...well I'll tell you. We did find a spirit and it did talk to us." I said to them as they listened carefully.

"It told us about the metal men. It told me about the horrible things they've done to your people and how my people can help stop them. The spirit asked that no tribal of any tribe should enter that cave but they will help us." I said to them with a serious glare.

"The spirits...will help us?" Ula said in amazement of the idea.

"Yes. You've seen the 'armored turtles' right Teryal? Those are considered light weapons compared to what we have built back home. The spirit cannot transport us but can transport these items to us." I told him confident of what was inside of the bunker now.

The letters WRH were in my mind. I knew what the R and H stood for and I knew what the W was going to stand for.

"How? Even if you did you are so few in number. Are your weapons truly that powerful? Even the strongest spears and arrows cannot pierce the metal ones walls."

"Trust me when I say....you'll see."

"I do not know Collin....I cannot lose anymore. We've been losing against the metal ones since we first met them. Only when the white phoenix came did we ever know true lasting victory against them, but even now it appears they are growing back those numbers." Teryal said in a despairing tone.

"Teryal...what do you want for Castro?" I asked as he jumped at the very mention of the name.

"What do you want for Zio? What do you want for your people? Do you want to run forever? Do you want to hide forever?" I asked him as each one was like dropping a match on a river of gas. Finally I ignited him.

"No! That's not what I want, that's not what Dahila wanted either! I want to give my people a new era, a new place for them to know nothing but peace and harmony! Dahila told me was prepared to dedicate her life to battle if necessary and I pleaded that with her."

"And do you still keep that plead."

"For as long I still breath I do." He told me standing in front of me. He was still massive compared to me but he held out his hand for me to shake it. I looked up to his eyes and he looked into me.

"What is the plan? Where do we even start?" The young tiger asked as I purposed a daring plan.

"We're going to take back Fullen."

The lone footsteps of a single person echo across the woods. The chirping of the insects and frogs being the only other sounds along with the occasional howl from an owl.

A person wearing a hoodie and jeans walked in the darkness having nothing but a pistol and a flashlight in his hands. He looks around occasionally in case someone was following him but he was certain no one was.

The person came to the cave and walked down it. Remember the horror and mystery this place once was just yesterday...but now the boy knew that this place would be the beginning of a new age.

Pressing in the password in the keypad the doors once again opened up and the lights went on quicker then they did once before. The boy removes his hoodie to show myself Collin to the computer.

The holographic image of Hailee appears in front of me as I walked forward with Hailee's image following along the blue haze line on the ground.

"Mister Gunderson, you are up late. Is there something I can help with."

"Yeah...the codewords WRH...they aren't just identification numbers are they?" I said looked around the bunker for a sign I wanted to see.

"No. Each safe was given a special set of tasks. You saw the WISE, which held our history H and I believe you saw one of the research room holding the SERFS meaning the R."

"And the last one? I asked stopping in front of the very door I wanted to see. I already knew the answer but just hearing it will sound so nice to me right now.

The door was bigger than the average door and even the research door holding the androids but not as large as the one holding Hailee's console.

"W...for Weapons." She said as I opened the door to the armory room.

I saw the lights come on and there was a spark in my eye as I beheld the sight in front of me.

"Good...we are going to need them."