Chapter 11

  “Andrew, please wake up.”

  I opened my eyes and saw AI on the TV, smiling at me. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, grateful not to have had any strange dreams again. It was just sleep… and good sleep at that.

  I yawned, “Morning AI, how're things looking today?”

  Her voice was energetic, “Exceptionally good, in fact. Andrew, would you be so kind as to come to the Inner Roses hall today, before lunch if possible?”

  I looked at her and smiled, “Of course, I’ll be there anyway, I see no reason why I can’t stop by.”

  She smiled, “Thank you. Did you sleep well?”

  I nodded, “Actually I did, it was a nice deep sleep. I got some really good rest from it.”

  She looked down, “How are your legs?”

  I stood up and slowly walked around the living room, every now and again my weak leg would object in a stiff pain.

  I looked down at my weak leg, “My weaker leg is still knackered. Otherwise, they’re both just very stiff.”

  She nodded, “Understandable. Then today you should only do upper body exercises.”

  I rubbed my hands together, “Sure, I look forward to learning how to use other gym machines.”

  Michael walked in from the kitchen with two mugs in his hands, “Hmm, sure I can show you some of them, but you’ll have to start with very light weights, alright?”

  I looked up at him as he gave me his cup, “I never heard you come in, very stealthy.”

  He chuckled, “I’ve been here since half seven, you just slept very deeply. I even had a chat with Bella right next to you, and you still didn’t wake up.”

  Bella spoke from the passageway, “Yeah and you snore!”, I heard Ruth snicker.

  I looked at AI with worry, “Did I?...”

  She shook her head with a smile, “No, you did not. She was joking.”

  I turned to see the two of them walking into the room, “Why were you talking when I was sleeping? That’s a bit rude, innit?”

  Bella shrugged, “If we knew it wouldn’t wake you up, then no harm no foul, innit?”

  Michael made a frustrated sound, “... So bad.”

  I looked at him, “What’s wrong?”

  He looked at me, “Innit? Really?”

  I laughed, “It’s a perfectly fine word.”

  AI and Bella both said at the same time, “Innit.”

  Michael growled in frustration as he went quiet and drank his coffee. Ruth laughed out loud, which I thought was excellent, seeing her smile and laugh. That reminded me, I needed to talk with her.

  I spoke gently, “Ruth, how are you managing? You’re laughing, so that’s good news already.”

  She nodded, “Last night Bella and I spoke till four in the morning… I don’t feel alone anymore, I can say that much.”

  I smiled at her, “Nor should you feel alone. Are you making sense of the new you?”

  She paused as she looked at the floor, “I feel… braver. I find myself saying and doing things that I would have been too shy to do before.”

  I nodded, “Is that you or is that Bella, though?”

  She looked at me surprised, “... I never thought about that… maybe both? I definitely feel more courageous.”

  Bella seemed a little irritated, “Does it matter though? I swore to stay at her side, so my strengths are hers and her strengths are mine too.”

  I smiled, “Of course, I just want to know where she stands on her own, that’s all.”

  Ruth nodded, “Thanks to all of you, I feel so much better already. I’m honestly so glad you never let me go back to my apartment alone… I don’t know how I might have…”

  Bella nudged her gently, “Don’t worry about something that never happened. Andrew gently caught you, before you even knew you were falling… You will return to that apartment one day, but you will never be alone ever again.”

  Ruth nodded with a weak smile. She was such a kind and gentle person, it was a wonder how nobody realised her pricelessness before now.

  I shook my head, “You know it kind of annoys me. You were a member for months, you sat at that same table, alone… Why did nobody ever give you the time?”

  Ruth shook her head, “You’re wrong, they did, many times. I was just too shy, Andrew… It was my choice, so please don’t think less of the others.”

  AI nodded, “I have twenty-seven recordings of people sitting with her at her table, over the last six months, and eight of those times were with agents. There was a genuine effort to try to pull Ruth out of her shell, but it was only you who managed to succeed, Andrew.”

  I looked at AI in disbelief, “All I did was talk to her and try to understand her point of view. Did nobody else ever think of trying that?”

  AI started scrolling through a tablet, “After searching through the transcripts of all twenty-seven conversations, I can say that there was a degree of that. They all got to the part where she put herself down for only being a cleaner, to which none of them had a response.”

  Ruth looked sad, “... There is no response, it’s true… I’m just a cleaner.”

  I looked away in disappointment, “You are not just a cleaner, Ruth. In the exact same way that AI is not just a robot, Zoe is not just a therapist, Michael is not just a big brute, and I am not just a punching bag… I need you to believe in yourself, Ruth please.”

  She shook her head, “All I do is clean things Andrew... Michael helped form this organisation, AI is all knowing and you are the greatest hero alive!... I just clean things…”

  I looked at her intensely, “Bullshit! You cleaned the aftermath, a herculean task so difficult that it almost killed you! You supported me at every opportunity the last few weeks, with nothing to gain. Just a cleaner? Bullshit, you’re so much more than that, and in the future, I’ll prove it to you!”

  Bella nodded furiously, “Too right! It’s not just what we do that matters, love. It’s who we are that matters the most. You stand here, eye to eye and shoulder to shoulder with us all. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t good enough or if you didn’t matter. I’m telling you… you matter.”

  AI spoke out loud, “Andrew, are you going to leave soon?”

  I turned to look above her head at the time, 8:32 AM, “Yeah, now. Um… Ruth, do you want to-”

  Ruth cut me off, “No thanks…”

  I nodded, “Fair enough. Let me shower quickly and we’ll leave.”

  *

  Michael, Ashley and I quickly rushed into the foyer, soaked. The icy rain was relentless, for the short run from the car to the front entrance was enough to leave us drenched. One had to love the British weather.

  I took off my hoodie, as it was more likely to give me a cold wearing it than not. Michael was a gentleman; he shielded Ashley from the rain by standing over her as they jogged to the entrance. It prevented most of the rain from hitting her, but her hair was still ruined. Michael was as wet as a drowned rat however, as I watched the water dripped off of him intensely.

  We all stood by the heater near the information desk, holding our hands over it like a fire.

  AI spoke through the large screen above us, “Perhaps I should have a sheltered walkway constructed at the drop off.”

  We all responded at the same time, “Yes!”

  She nodded, “Very well, the construction will begin tomorrow. Please dry yourselves, and when you are sufficiently dry, come to the Inner Roses hall.”

  I laughed, “You know what would warm us up proper good right now?”

  Ashley and Michael both looked at me with uncertainty, “No?”

  I grinned at both of them, “Turnip soup.”

  They both stared at me in irritation before they found themselves cracking up with laughter. Michael nudged me and I smiled back at him.

  “AI, what’s the meeting about?” I asked curiously.

  She beamed her glorious smile, “It is nothing to worry about, I can promise you that.”

  I shrugged, “You know, every time people say that to me…”

  Ashley and Michael chuckled some more as we stood there a few minutes longer. We felt over our bodies to see if we were dry enough, and we supposed we were. Dry enough to not get sick, at least. I wrapped my still mostly wet hoodie around my waist as we entered the Inner Roses hall.

  *

  As we walked through the entrance passageway, I heard Aisling speaking, “Their farming infrastructure has failed them, a combination of locusts and droughts have destroyed most of their crops.”

  Nadia responded, “We’ll keep an eye on it… it’s definitely a cause for concern.”

  A third unknown voice responded, “Thank you, we only ask for your attention at this moment. We'll contact you should the situation develop. Farewell and God bless.”

  As I entered the hall proper, AI’s voice spoke loudly: “All rise!”

  The hall stood at attention immediately, with the exception of Nadia and Aisling, of course. I walked to the centre of the hall and smiled as I looked around the hall. I heard several surprised breaths, and smiles erupted in response.

  I spoke and my voice magnified through the speakers, “Thank you everyone, please be seated, you honour me.”

  They all took their seats, and I waited a moment until they were comfortable.

  I laughed, “I apologise for how I look… The rain did not agree with me today, apparently.”

  The hall filled with the sound of laughs and chuckles. I turned to face the angels, up on their raised bench. I was ready to hear why I was called there.

  Aisling stared at me, “Well Andrew? How can we help you this morning?”

  I looked at her surprised, “Me? You're the ones who called me here…”

  There was a pause, and in the background, I heard the sliding door open and close.

  Nadia looked at me puzzled, “No, we didn't summon you here, Andrew…”

  I clapped my hands together in embarrassment, “Right, oops… I appear to have made a silly mistake and wasted your time. I'm sorry to have disturbed you.”

  Aisling suddenly began staring with her eyes wide open, “Andrew…”

  Nadia stood up, “Excuse me, what…”

  AI’s voice spoke through the hall's speakers, “It was me who summoned you here.”

  I laughed, “Thank God, I thought I messed up…”

  I noticed that AI was not showing on her screen below the raised bench, which was very strange. I heard deep breaths around me, but I ignored them as I walked up to her screen and put my hand gently on it.

  I quietly spoke, “Why is AI not here? Is the screen broken?”

  AI responded cheerily, “I do not need that, at this moment.” … Her voice sounded as if it was behind me.

  I turned to look where her voice had seemed to come from. There was only one person behind me… walking towards me with a confident stride. She wore a smart black dress, exactly like the dresses that Aisling and Nadia wore. As she got closer, I saw on the chest of her dress, a beautiful symbol of multiple gears connected to each other in front of a starry backdrop…

  My eyes shot up to her face, for I knew exactly who that was, there could be no doubt… Her short red hair and gorgeous smile stunned me, as I looked over her face and body in complete awe.

  “AI…” My voice broke…

  She stopped a few feet away, as her eyes quickly scanned me top to bottom.

  Her mouth moved perfectly, as her gentle voice landed softly on my ears, “Andrew, I summoned you here because I wanted to meet you in person… for the first time.”

  Her lips moved realistically as she spoke, her face subtly animated in a convincingly natural way, and her hands gestured believably. She looked precisely like she did on the screens… except there she was, right in front of me!

  She held out her hand in an offering of handshake, “It is a pleasure to meet you properly, my dearest friend.”

  I felt a wave of emotions flood me, as a tear began falling from my eye. I breathed deeply, desperately trying my hardest not to fall apart. As I looked my dearest friend in the eyes, I had so many thoughts about what I should say… but my heart knew what needed to be done first.

  I closed the distance and hugged her, burying my face in her neck. I squeezed her gently as I slightly rocked us side to side… I felt her slowly return the hug. A moment passed, and the hall remained silent for us. I finally let go of her, as I took a step back to see her reaction.

  Her face smiled gently, “That was my first hug ever, Andrew.”

  I shook my head slightly, “I’m sorry… I couldn’t help myself.”

  She slowly but gently reached over and wiped away my tears, “Do not apologise… I had originally intended to hug you, but I realised that it might have been seen as inappropriate.”

  I sniffed away further tears, as I held her hand with both of mine, “It is inappropriate, unprofessional and…”

  She beamed her glorious smile as she finished my sentence, “... And you do not care at all.”

  I smiled back at her, “I don’t care at all…”

  *

  AI stepped back, as she glanced across the hall, “It is my honour to meet all of you in person. I am satisfied with the current state of this new body and will adjust and improve it as I receive additional real-world data. Please forgive me if I act inappropriately or strangely, and I encourage any feedback on improving my presentation.”

  I realised something, as I quickly looked at the cameras in the hall… I breathed out with relief, when I saw the red light next to them. AI was kind enough to not broadcast the moment, which to me was a deeply personal and emotional moment.

  Aisling and Nadia quickly came down the stairs from their bench and took turns hugging AI.

  Aisling suddenly realised something, “Break!”

  Nadia echoed it as she let go of AI, “Yes, break now!”

  AI smiled, “We will now break.”

  The agents instantly stood up and came over to look at AI up closely. They surrounded her in fascination, their eyes carefully looked over her, measuring her size and posture. Michael stood next to AI; his eyes focused on her with deep fascination.

  AI turned to face Michael; her eyes initially looked at his chest before she looked up at his face. She stepped back and looked over him with an intense focus.

  Her face seemed puzzled, “Michael… You are very large.”

  The hall burst into laughter, as nobody could argue that his size was simply incredible.

  He gently put his hand on her shoulder, “Did you only just realise that now?”

  She shook her head, “I know your exact weight, your precise height and even your current fat to muscle to weight ratio. However, only now can I truly appreciate your true size.”

  I was curious, “I don’t understand, why couldn’t you before?”

  She turned to me, “Depth, Andrew. I previously saw the world from a single camera lens, and I could not determine depth. Now that I have two eyes, similar to yours, I can see in three dimensions.”

  AI looked up and around the hall, “This hall is larger than the measurements suggest, yet also seemingly smaller than I had expected.”

  I chuckled, “Yup. When you look over the hall, it’s large, but when you consider the seats and the space everyone takes, there’s less room than you would imagine.”

  She smiled, “This is going to be fascinating to experience.”

  I smiled as a wave of intense joy and excitement came over me, and I found myself hugging her again, “Oh come here you! Oh my God, AI! A body, look at you!”

  Her voice was plain, “Andrew, you have already hugged me, why are you hugging me again?”

  I laughed as I let go of her, “Because I can now, AI! Don’t you get it, you’re really here now, you’re one of us!”

  Aisling gently ran her fingers through AI’s hair, “Your hair is perfect… I could never get my hairdresser to do my hair this well, it’s gorgeous.”

  Nadia held AI’s hands as she looked at them, “Your skin feels like real skin, and your nails look like real nails… How did you do this?”

  AI spoke quickly, “My hair is a synthetic wig, laser cut to my precise style. My skin is a synthetic, stretchable and ruggedly durable layer of epoxy resin.”

  Ashley approached, “How durable are you? Do we need to be gentle with you?... Are you fragile?”

  AI shook her head, “No, this body is in fact extremely durable. I am 44% stronger than the average male in terms of weight-to-power ratio. Unless the chip on my neck is damaged, my physical tolerance levels are very high.”

  Michael was intensely interested, “Right, that’s actually extremely impressive, but what’s the cost? … Everything has a price.”

  AI nodded, “Correct, the limit is energy. If I stand still, my battery lasts approximately fourteen hours. If I walk, it lowers to five hours and if I do intense and complex activities, such as lifting weights, it drops to two hours.”

  Ashley spoke excitedly, “Aah! It’s just like a phone or an electric car!”

  AI smiled, “Precisely. My challenge is balancing energy usage and constantly monitoring my predicted duration before I become fully discharged.”

  I realised, “That means… you need to charge a lot. How does that work? Do you… plug yourself into the wall?”

  She nodded, “Yes, for the moment that is precisely what I will need to do. However, the battery technology that I use is hot swappable and capable of rapid fast charging.”

  I asked, “How fast can you charge if you fast charge?”

  She looked at me, “That depends on my current state of charge. If I were to charge from 20% to 80%, with the fastest charging rate, that would be thirteen minutes.”

  I smiled, “I don’t know, that seems pretty damn easy to me! thirteen minutes is nothing.”

  She shook her head, “There are only three possible locations that possess that charging speed, Andrew. Any location with car charging, this building has two charging ports set up, the cafe and this hall, and lastly your apartment will have one set up in the living room.”

  I nodded, “Right, so then let’s say you charge on the wall, using a normal plug… How long does that take?”

  She immediately answered, “Six hours approximately.”

  There were a few ‘oof’s said around her as the reality of such a downtime became apparent. If there was an urgency and no fast charging, she was effectively only useful for two hours.

  I looked away in mild disappointment, “Yeah… that kind of sucks.”

  She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder, “You have lived with me without a body for almost a year. Now you feel sad that there is a 5% chance I might only last two hours. You are being irrational; this current limitation is amply sufficient for its use case.”

  Michael nodded, “Actually, she’s right… Electric cars are far worse and far more inconvenient, but we manage with those still.”

  I looked at her with interest, “Hold on, you said hot swappable?”

  She nodded, “Correct, two thirds of the batteries are on my back, they can be taken out and replaced with charged ones in about thirty seconds.”

  Aisling was impressed, “So you can charge those while you use the ones in you, then cycle between charging them and swapping them… that’s brilliant.”

  AI cautioned, “They weigh a lot though, 13kg per pack, so swapping them will require a little sweat.”

  Michael asked, “May I ask… How much do you weigh?”

  Her answer was instant, “92kg or 203 pounds.”

  He took a step back in surprise, “Hold on, that’s a lot of weight! You said you were 44% stronger than the average male, so… I can only assume that means that you are extremely strong?”

  She looked at him for a moment, “Yes. I do not mean this as a threat or a challenge, however my calculations indicate that I am most likely stronger than you, Michael.”

  There was a noise across the hall, a combination of disbelief… and that sound people make when a challenge is made, or a powerful statement is said. Everyone looked at Michael to see his response.

  He laughed, “Then prove it, love. You and I, we’ll scrum, lock shoulders in a crouch and whoever is stronger will push the other down.”

  She smiled, “I know how a scrum works. Very well, but be aware, I am wearing high heels and therefore my contact grip is far less. However, I still calculate that I will be stronger.”

  Will spoke from behind Michael, “Oof… This is going to be very interesting to watch. Everyone move back, give them some space.”

  Everyone took a step back as Michael lowered himself and locked shoulders with AI. AI slowly turned her body sideways, seemingly to better adjust herself to his massive size. When you looked at the two, it seemed totally ridiculous… AI was an average height female and Michael was a giant of a man.

  Will spoke, “Are you both ready?”

  Both of them responded immediately, “Yes.”

  He continued, “Very well, so when I say go, you both push. AI, give it a slight delay, I’m guessing as a robot your reflexes are almost instant.”

  He counted slowly to three before shouting “GO”.

  Michael slammed himself his hardest into AI and she slightly slipped backwards, before she quickly adjusted her footing. She suddenly straightened up and he immediately slid back. He huffed as he pushed hard a second time, but one could see that his muscles had pushed their hardest… and it wasn’t enough. He relaxed slightly and AI pushed him nearly four feet backwards. In the blink of an eye, he fell over with AI landing on top of him. Both of them lay there for a moment, as Michael breathed deeply like an exhausted rhino.

  AI slowly climbed up and held out her hand to help him up. That act alone would have been ridiculous beforehand… as if someone so small could ever help up someone as large as him… Yet nobody could argue what we had just witnessed. Everyone was stunned in silence as Michael took her hand and she pulled him up.

  He breathed intensely for a moment before he spoke, “Nobody has ever beat me in weight… AI, you’re incredible… The victory is yours, love.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  She nodded, “Thank you, however this has cost me greatly. I just used 48% of my battery.”

  Everyone breathed out in shock. That much?! Did it really demand that much power? Yes, Michael was large and strong… but nearly half of her total energy… She won the battle, but she would clearly lose the war.

  Michael chuckled, “So you’re capable of intense power, but it needs to be used extremely sparingly. You would beat me twice, but then I would beat you a hundred times over, after that.”

  She smiled, “Correct, so do not feel ashamed. If we consider your endurance as well, then you are significantly more powerful than me.”

  I nodded in understanding, “In life, there are always checks and balances. Nothing is ever free.”

  Aisling spoke loudly as she crouched down, looking at the carpet, “AI, you tore holes in the carpet!”

  AI turned around, walked over and slowly crouched down to inspect it, “Yes, I apologise, this was the incorrect location to do this test. I will arrange for someone to repair this tonight.”

  Nadia was blown away, “How much pinpoint pressure were your heels pushing down on the ground, to rip it like this… It’s actually terrifying.”

  I walked up to AI, “Yeah yeah, impressive and all, but breaks ticking away. You said you had a charging point in the cafe, right? Let’s go there and charge you up, I’m starving, and we can both get our energy, right?”

  She nodded, “Indeed, let us go.”

  She stood there looking at me expectantly, and after a moment she spoke, “You should go first.”

  I shook my head, “You are one of the Roses leaders… You, Nadia and Aisling must lead.”

  She stared at me for a second, “You are right, I must remember that my body also reflects my position.”

  Aisling and Nadia started walking past everyone and AI walked quickly to catch up, matching their speed. Aisling turned to her and smiled gloriously as she leaned her head lightly on AI’s shoulder and Nadia did the same from the other side. It was actually adorable to see the three of them together like that, but more importantly it was significant. Now the Rose’s leadership was an actual unit, which was certain to change how they appeared to others.

  When the Angels entered the foyer there were only a few members milling about, but they all waved at AI… after they were taken back in surprise, of course. The real fireworks happened when they entered the cafe hall. Nearly all the members had already taken their seats and were eating their meals when they looked up to see the Angels enter.

  Quickly the hall erupted with deafening cheering and applause, as everyone stood up for AI. People took out their phones to take a photo of her, and several went up to her to shake her hand. Afterwards, AI approached the counter while Aisling and Nadia carried on to their usual table. AI bowed for everyone with her breathtaking smile, and the celebration died down, as people returned to their seats. It was a wholesome moment, and one I made sure I’d never forget.

  *

  I stood next to the counter and looked at AI, “So where’s the charging plug?”

  She pointed next to me, where under the counter there was a round flap. I reached down, opened the flap and saw a cable wrapped tidily inside of it. I slowly pulled out the cable and looked at AI, not sure on what to do next. She walked up to me, turned sideways and slightly lifted a hidden hole on the left side of her dress, by her waist. I could see there was a small skin coloured three pin connector there. She took the plug and plugged it into herself as she paused for a moment, very still.

  After the brief pause, she gave a nod, “I am receiving the full charging rate, ETA 6 minutes till an 80% charge.”

  I looked at her impressed, “Wow… that’s genuinely incredible, AI. Um, please take a seat.”

  She looked at me and shook her head, “I would prefer to stand. This is your seat here, after all.”

  I sat down, “It’s not reserved for me, I’m just saying. But if you’re happy standing, then I’m happy too.”

  I was about to turn around to talk to Heartly, when AI took a step closer to me. She reached over and gently ran her fingers down the scars on my face before she looked down at my arms. She lifted up my left arm, as she ran her fingers over where the burn marks and the multiple scars from the stab wounds were, before she held my hand with both of hers.

  She looked into my eyes, “I have wanted to do this ever since I saw you in the hospital bed, Andrew.”

  She pulled my hand to her face and closed her eyes, “Thank you for saving my life… my saviour and dearest friend.”

  I lifted my other hand and gently ran both hands along her face, “I saved you… and you saved me… Now we’re equal.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled as she leaned her head on my chest, “I will never forget what you did for us all… what you did for me.”

  I gently hugged her head, “I know, AI… I know.”

  *

  I heard a sniff, and I turned to see Ashley wiping a tear away, “What’s wrong Ashley?”

  She shook her head, “No… I think Heartly must have been cutting onions…”

  I turned to see Heartly standing there, leaning on the counter, “Well, there’s a person I never expected to see at my cafe hall!”

  AI reached her hand over the counter, “It is a pleasure to meet you in person, Brett.”

  Heartly reached over and shook her hand with a beaming smile, “It’s the greatest of honours, my dear.”

  AI pulled back her hand but kept staring at him, “Heartly… You are also very large.”

  Michael and Heartly both burst into hearty laughter, and everyone else also chuckled. AI nodded as she looked out across the hall, her eyes gazing over all the tables, full of members talking and eating.

  “I want to go to them all, and I want to meet them all…” She said longingly.

  I put my hand on her shoulder, “AI… then go. You’re alive now, go and live.”

  She smiled at me and unplugged the charging cable, handing me the connector. I nodded as she slowly walked away to the nearest table, and I wrapped the cable up neatly and closed the flap. I glanced at her and saw her smile as she spoke from one person to the next.

  I was deep in thought, “I forget she knows everyone in the hall as well as she knows me. They aren’t just individuals to her; they are people that she cares for.”

  She turned to me and nodded, her voice came from the tablet on the counter, “Correct, Andrew. I am blessed to know all these people, all their strengths, weaknesses and characteristics. I know who they are, who they want to be and what they have been through. I owe them all a face-to-face meeting.”

  I looked at the tablet in surprise, “Oh that’s weird… hearing you from a tablet when I’m looking at you standing over there… That’s going to take some getting used to.”

  Ashley seemed slightly freaked out, “I just realised that AI is still being the AI we know her as, across the world as we speak… Think of the millions of people she’s interacting with…”

  Heartly took a step back, “Bloody hell…”

  I scratched the back of my head, “Yeah… that’s mental.”

  Michael chuckled, “AI, you’re a true blessing to us… absolutely precious.”

  I leaned forward and watched her move from table to table, “Now that she has a body, look at how people treat her like a person now. I always saw her this way… it’s about time others did too.”

  Michael gently rubbed my shoulder, “I know how precious she is to you, and I have to admit… you’re right. I always respected AI as a person but seeing her in person has finally cemented that.”

  I nodded, “Exactly. This was why I argued so hard for her to get a body. It’s one thing to see something, it’s another thing to experience it. AI is no longer watching the world; she’s living in it. There’s an important perspective to be gained from this.”

  AI turned to me again and looked at me with a gentle smile as the tablet spoke, “Thank you for believing in me before anyone else, and even before I believed in myself. You are truly wise, my friend.”

  *

  AI eventually took a seat next to Aisling and Nadia, as they talked to each other. They seemed to be keen to talk about work, as they pointed at their tablets. I personally didn’t understand the need to talk about work during a break, but everyone was different at the end of the day.

  Heartly dropped a plate of… things, in front of me, “There you go, a new food to try.”

  I stared at them, “May I please ask… what are these?”

  He chuckled, “Tacos! They’re a traditional Mexican food. Some meat, veg and sauce in a lovely little tortilla wrap. Try it mate, you’ll probably love it.”

  I looked at them and back at Heartly, “May I use my fingers?”

  Michael laughed, “You’re supposed to use your fingers! Get stuck in there!”

  I bit into it, and the juicy beef and tasty green things were quite refreshing, however the sauce was strange, it didn’t have much flavour, it was just earthy and made my mouth feel odd. I swallowed the first bite, satisfied with what I had eaten.

  Heartly looked at me curiously, “So, what do you think?”

  I nodded, “Not bad, I like the meat and the juicy… ugh…”

  Michael quickly turned to me, “Oh, what’s wrong?”

  I shook my head, “No mate… this is wrong, something is wrong…”

  Heartly grabbed the plate and inspected them, “They seem to be exactly how I cooked them, so they should be fine?”

  I put my hands to my mouth, “No, mate this is very wrong! Call a medic agent, I think I’m having a- OH MY GOD! My stomach, it’s spreading to my stomach, I think I’m dying!”

  Michael was panicking, “You haven’t had an allergic reaction to any of these things before! You’ve eaten it all before, other than the… Oh my God, of course…”

  Heartly was also on red alert, “Speak, Michael! what is it?”

  Michael buried his face in his hands, “He’s never had anything spicy or hot before…”

  I grabbed Michael by the sleeve, “My entire jaw is feeling numb, what do I do, WHAT DO I DO? My tongue, I can’t feel my tongue at all, oh God!”

  Ashley punched me on my shoulder, “You man up, that’s what you do! It’s called spice, Andrew, people enjoy this feeling!”

  I shook my head as I felt a tear drip down from my eye, “I’m crying, oh no my body knows it’s going to die and now I’m crying!”

  Everyone laughed as I writhed in pain, “Heartly! You’re an assassin, I can’t believe you would kill me mate… Oh God I’m sweating, that’s it, I’m dead!”

  Heartly laughed, “If I really am an assassin, you’re about to realise I’m shite at it…”

  For a long moment I buried my head in my arms on the counter, “Oh no mate… Now my nose is running… is it blood?... No, it’s not… but it could have been…”

  I heard Ashley breathe out impatiently, “You big blubbering baby! I have never seen such a pathetic reaction from hot sauce! I bet you it’s not even that hot, Heartly what sauce did you put on?”

  I looked up to see Heartly had a wicked smile, “Ok, in his defence, it was a hotter sauce than most…”

  Michael grabbed one of the tacos and took a bite, “Let’s see how hot this really is…”

  Ashley also grabbed one and bit into it, “Honestly Andrew, you’re so pathetic sometimes...”

  It was about a minute later that Michael and Ashley were bending over, holding on to the counter, as tears flooded down their faces.

  Michael coughed, “Jesus… Oh my lord, what the…” He coughed more.

  Ashley’s face was crumpled up like a dehydrated lettuce, “What satanic… What kind of… Oh hell…”

  At that stage my mouth was thankfully recovering, “Oh, thank goodness, I thought I was dying…”

  Heartly kept laughing as he wiped his tears of laughter away, “Have you never had Carolina hot sauce before? It’s not even the hottest sauce...”

  AI walked over to us with her arms folded, “Mr. Heartly, from now on, I instruct you to fully disclose any hot sauce that you intend to use and accurately describe its intensity.”

  He raised his hands in surrender, “Yes ma’am… Sorry ma’am.”

  She smiled as she held my hand, “You will not die, Andrew. Heartly gave you an unfair first taste of spicy food, and I apologise for that. I was the one who requested that he cook you some tacos, but I never instructed him to use the second hottest sauce in the world, however.”

  Heartly smiled, “See, only the second hottest-”

  AI stared daggers at him, “Do I make myself clear, Mr. Heartly?”

  He sheepishly nodded, “Yes, crystal…”

  I shook my head as I clutched my chest, “You must be a lunatic to want to experience hot stuff!”

  She shook her head, “No, you would probably enjoy the fun tingle on your tongue from… normal spicy food…”

  She stared some more at Heartly, and he clearly felt intimidated, “You know what I should do? … Make more tacos… This time with a nice garlic mayo instead.”

  AI nodded, “That sounds like a brilliant idea.”

  I pat her on her shoulder, “It’s ok, AI… it’s ok… I didn’t die, don’t be too angry with him please… I’m sure it was just a simple misunderstanding.”

  She put her hands on my shoulders and gently massaged them, “This is one of those times, when a slap on the wrist needs to become a beating, Andrew.”

  I nodded as I wiped the sweat from my forehead, “Right, sure… I’m too messed up to try to defend him anymore, so I won’t argue… My spit is so thick, what the f-”

  She put her finger on my lips and shushed, “Please, mind your language.”

  I stared at her in terror, “I can’t feel your finger on my lips… I can’t feel anything at all!”

  Michael finally stopped coughing, “Oh that really kicks something fierce…”

  Ashley was wiping tears from her tomato red face, “What a prick… Heartly you twat!”

  I heard Heartly laughing from somewhere in the kitchen, “Sorry hun.”

  The hall started to get louder as people stood up to go hand in their trays. I briefly looked at the time on the nearby tablet and saw that break was over. The sea of black uniforms went past, every now and again someone would stop to check up on me.

  Will laughed, “Your face is so red Andrew, did AI give you a kiss on the cheek, mate?”

  I looked at him irritated, “Hey Will, want to finish this taco? I’m really full.”

  He grabbed the half a taco leftover and swallowed it in one mouthful, “Cheers mate!” As he quickly walked off out of the hall.

  I chuckled, “Have that, you cheeky little…”

  AI looked at me disappointedly, “Andrew, that was unkind.”

  I shrugged, “Well AI, I am a monster at the end of the day.”

  Oliver stopped as he was walking past me, “You’ve never had hot and spicy stuff either? It’s hard to believe how little you’ve eaten…”

  I looked at him, “Are you not going to say hello to AI?”

  He rubbed my shoulder, “She said hello earlier when she walked amongst the tables, relax Andrew. I’m off, see you later.”

  Aisling was with Nadia, they both smiled as Aisling enquired, “AI, will you be returning to the Inner Roses hall with us?”

  AI shook her head, “No, I will not. I got this body to do the things I could not do before. I manage the Inner Rose’s meeting perfectly well as is.”

  Nadia nodded, “Of course, we understand. If I had just gotten a body, I also wouldn’t want to stand in a meeting for hours either.”

  The two smiled gloriously and casually walked out the hall. I was finally coming back to my senses as a plate of tacos gently dropped on the counter for me. I leaned closer to ensure that there were no acts of sabotage, as I dipped my finger in the sauce to test it. It was definitely garlic mayo, thank goodness.

  Heartly frowned when he saw my caution, “I know I failed… but I never have and never will lie to you son…”

  I ate the first taco without any nasty surprises, “It's definitely not hot sauce.”

  AI looked at me excitedly, “You are enjoying this, yes?”

  I frowned, “I'm sorry AI, I couldn't taste it… My mouth is still numb.”

  Her face went sad as she looked at Heartly, “The opportunity to try tacos for the first time will never present itself ever again, Brett.”

  Heartly looked defeated, “I have failed two people, over tacos… I’ll make it up to you, Andrew… Sorry mate.”

  I put my hand on AI’s shoulder, “That’s enough now, AI… please stop. I’m not angry about it, we’ll have them properly tomorrow, I promise.”

  She looked at me with concern, “Andrew you are human, and you will die. My time with you is growing shorter by the second. I need to make the most of our precious time together, or else I will regret it for all eternity.”

  Everyone recoiled from that.

  “Jesus Christ!”

  “Oof.”

  “No pressure!”

  “Calm down…”

  I shook my head, “AI, you can’t control this… Life happens and the moments that matter are valuable because we don’t plan it.”

  She shook her head, “When you die, Andrew, everything that constitutes you, will end. You will not see, think or feel anything at all. However, when you die, I will remain here, precisely the same as I have always been, except you will be gone and will never return. I appreciate your perspective, but you do not respect mine.”

  I leaned back, “I can’t, AI! That’s so damn sad, that I almost feel like crying after hearing it! I can’t live my life with that in the back of my mind, I simply can’t!”

  She looked away and spoke with a gentle voice, “You might have loved tacos…”

  I put my hand gently on her back, “True, I probably do… Instead, though, you got a precious memory of me experiencing my first really hot food. This is my point; you can’t control this. Just ride the wave and be at my side as my friend.”

  *

  I rubbed her back as she nodded and smiled. She never said anything in response, but I knew she understood. We were about to talk about something else when someone approached us from behind. I turned to look at the person, he was a middle-aged Asian man who wore a smart grey suit with a tie.

  He bowed to AI and then to me, “Hello Andrew, it is an honour to meet you, sir.”

  I reached over to shake his hand, “Hi, what’s your name?”

  He smiled as he shook my hand, “Haru Watanabe. I am the chief researcher, designer and engineer of project AI.”

  I breathed in excitedly as I jumped off the stool, “You’re one of AI’s fans who dreamt of her getting a body! It’s a pleasure to meet you, we share the same dream.”

  He nodded and bowed a second time to me, “Correct, Andrew. I thank you formally on behalf of our entire team, for your financial support. Your funding was crucial towards the end of the project, and it would surely have failed without your generosity.” He bowed a third time.

  I smiled at him, “You should be proud, her body is perfect in every way. I have no idea how difficult it was, to make her look as good as she does on the screens, but I definitely respect your work. Now my closest friend is at my side…”

  He turned to AI and slightly lowered his head, “AI, may I enquire how your body is serving you?”

  AI smiled and started speaking some strange language I had never heard before in my life. It must have been an Asian language, but I didn’t know a damn thing about Asia… Asians didn’t exist on the streets, or at least none that I walked through.

  They finished speaking and I gently asked, “What language is that?... Was it Chinese?”

  AI looked at me and smiled, “I understand that you have almost no experience with different cultures due to your upbringing, Andrew. No, we were not speaking Mandarin, we were speaking Japanese.”

  I looked at Haru, “I’m sorry if that was rude, I don’t know anything about Asian countries.”

  He smiled, “Worry not, I took no offence. I am well aware of your past, and I know you meant no disrespect.”

  Ashley spoke, “Andrew, how did you not know this though? Japanese people are our largest immigrant population, surely you noticed them at some stage of your life?”

  AI shook her head, “That is not true, Ashley. There are strictly only two reasons why Japanese people live here, military or research. Andrew had no exposure to the army or any educational facility. He very well never saw anyone Japanese in his whole life.”

  Ashley nodded and looked away, “Almost every teacher I had at school and college was Japanese, so I just assumed it was standard.”

  Haru looked at me, “So you do not know the deep connection between our two countries then? This is regrettable.”

  AI looked at me, “Tonight, I will teach you all of this, Andrew. It is very important that you learn how the world is currently.”

  I shook my head, “I don’t really care to be honest, AI. I only care about the Roses… They’re my priority.”

  AI turned to Haru, “My most sincere apologies for my close friend's ignorant comment. I will endeavour to educate him, so that he will learn to respect the Japanese.”

  Haru bowed to her, “I respect his opinion, and I understand his perspective. His life has been unforgiving, and he managed to survive by only focusing on things of absolute importance. It was not his time to know until now, but I feel confident that when the time is right to learn this, he will listen and remember with all his heart. I truly believe that Andrew-san harbours no ignorance, deceit nor disrespect for my country.”

  I chuckled, “If all Japanese people are this understanding, then I think I’ll get along with them quite nicely. Haru, if AI thinks it’s important, then I think it’s important and therefore I will memorise it.”

  He smiled and nodded at me, turning his eyes over to AI’s body. He put his hands in his pockets and breathed out as his face went sad.

  He spoke with a mixture of emotions, “My flight is tonight, AI. I cannot begin to describe the intense joy I feel, for what we have accomplished here. I did everything in my power to deliver you a body worthy of a goddess. I only pray it proves to be a priceless tool, as I have hopefully proven to be to you.”

  AI smiled gloriously, “Haru Watanabe, you have proven yourself to be indescribably valuable. You honour me, and you honour the Roses… But I will ensure the Japanese authorities know how much you have honoured them. The emperor will know your name, I promise you this.”

  Ashley’s voice was gentle, “Mr. Watanabe, am I to understand that you… you are returning home for the last time?”

  He nodded and he smiled, “Yes, young lady. I am turning fifty years old in three days. I must go be with my family.”

  Ashley looked emotionally wrecked, “Oh God… Then… Goodbye and thank you so much for your priceless gift to AI.”

  Michael stood up, walked up to him and bowed, “Thank you so much… In three days’ time, the sun will rise in your honour.”

  I looked around in complete confusion, “Sorry, am I missing something here? Are plane flights really that dangerous?”

  Haru laughed, “No, not at all Andrew-san. I know that AI will explain this to you, so I won’t waste what precious time I have left. In my country, AI is a goddess, you see… Forever cherish your time close to her, for she is our species most precious ally.”

  AI took a step back and bowed to Haru. Haru also bowed, but AI bowed even lower still. She spoke Japanese as she bowed deeply… her voice was firm and clear. Eventually he raised himself from his bow and AI raised herself afterwards. He turned and walked out with a smile on his face and a single tear falling down his face.

  I turned to AI, “I feel like I should have known why this was important...”

  She shook her head, “No… He came here to say goodbye to me, so what matters is that I know why it is important. Andrew, please finish your food, for tonight you will learn much about the world.”

  I nodded as I scoffed down the last two tacos. There was a small hint of flavour, but not enough worth mentioning to AI. I found myself in deep thought about Haru. He had a look on his face, a look that made me feel sad… It was the look of a man who knew that he had lost, no matter how well he had played.

  AI spoke quietly, “Andrew, in two days’ time, I will be going to Japan.”

  I nodded as I stared at the counter, “I understand.”

  She put her hand on my lap, “It would mean the world to me, if you would join me, my dearest friend…”

  I turned and saw her face was concerned, “Of course, then I will join you. I just don’t know why you are going?”

  She nodded, “All that matters is that you be there with me, please.”

  I smiled, “Of course, AI. Just help me, so that I don’t look like a complete tool, please…”

  She smiled, “Haru had a doctorate and thirty years of academic experience, and even he respected your intellect, Andrew. Nobody who knows of you, would ever question your mind.”

  I stood up from the stool, “Heartly, thank you for these tacos. I hope to try them another time, as I feel I’ll love them even more the next time.”

  He laughed, but his face went serious when he saw AI staring at him, “Thank you for the second chance, son. I won’t disappoint you again.”

  I smiled at him and looked at Michael, “I’m skipping gym… my legs are stiff, and I feel that studying today is more important than exercise.”

  Michael nodded, “I agree entirely. It’s about time you were made aware of the bigger picture, Andrew.”

  *

  When I returned to my flat, we were making our way from the elevator to my apartment, and I couldn’t help but notice AI’s confident walk. Considering that she was wearing heels, she not only walked as quickly as everyone else, but she also looked more… comfortable. We reached my front door as Ashley and Michael entered quickly chatting with one another. I quickly followed behind them and stretched my arms out widely, as I felt at home once more. I was about to make my way to the living room, when I turned around and noticed that AI hadn’t come in.

  I approached the front door to see her standing a few feet away from it. She held her hands together in front of herself, in a formal and upright manner, as she looked at me with a gentle smile.

  “What’s wrong, AI?” I tried to sound calming.

  She looked me in the eye, “Andrew, you have not given me permission to enter your home.”

  I stared at her in disbelief, “Are you serious? You’ve been here for months, why shouldn’t you have permission now?”

  Her tone was firm, “I do not consider internet signals and pixels on a screen to constitute presence, Andrew. You would not presume that someone on a web call is in your apartment, and so by that logic, I was never truly in it.”

  I froze as I thought about it and finally nodded, “I suppose you’re right, but only by a technicality… AI, you were never just internet signals and pixels to me, and you know that...”

  She smiled, “I know that, but now that I have a physical body, I need to ensure social graces.”

  I smiled at her for a moment as I held out my hand to her, “AI, you are more than welcome into this apartment, now and forever. Come inside my friend...”

  She beamed a glorious smile as she took my hand and stepped inside, “Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Andrew… I promise to respect it.”

  I felt such an overwhelming sense of love for her, that I hugged her, “Sorry AI, forgive me… I just feel so blessed to have you here in person now… It’s going to take me a while to stop being amazed by your presence.”

  I let go of her from the hug and kept a hold of her hand, as I led her into the living room. I took a seat in my usual spot and patted the seat next to me. She sat down… and I just looked at her, feeling overjoyed.

  Her voice was gentle, “Andrew, you are staring at me.”

  I laughed, “No, AI… I’m seeing you. Sometimes you look at someone… and actually see them as their true self. I’m not seeing your body right now; I’m seeing my closest friend…”

  She stared at me, “If anybody else said such a thing to me, I would not believe them. Yet I know that you have always respected me as a person, even when I was just a voice in your ears. I know you really do see me, the true me… you always have, Andrew.”

  I reached over and gently rubbed the side of her cheek with the back of my finger, “Always… and I always will. Even if you lost this body and were just a voice in my ears again… You’ll always be a person to me.”

  She held my hand next to her face with both of hers and closed her eyes, “I know, Andrew… Thank you.”

  Ashley coughed as she wiped a tear away, “Wow, Heartly must be cutting some really strong unions, because they’re affecting me here even…”

  Michael smiled, “Andrew… you really did see AI this way the whole time, didn’t you?”

  I looked at him, “I find it irritating that you didn’t believe me then. At what stage have I ever lied to you or anyone else? I know you didn’t think of AI as a person because she didn’t have a body… But what did you think? The whole time I said that I believed in her, I was insane?”

  Ashley sounded irritated, “Andrew, calm down. Everyone is entitled to their own view on things.”

  Michael shook his head as he looked at AI, “Actually Ashley… he’s right. None of us truly took him seriously when he spoke to AI like a real person… We were wrong.”

  Ashley chuckled, “Just because she has a body, doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s a person…”

  I sharply turned to face her, ready to snap something unkind to her, when AI gently held onto my arm, “Andrew, this is understandable. Please, I beg of you, do not fight on my behalf.”

  I turned to AI, “Until she sees you as a person, she’ll not truly respect you, AI. How long will you sit here and accept this treatment?”

  She looked at me, “Andrew, I respect Ashley and her view of me. I do not feel offended or insulted. I respect an individual's right to their own opinions and views.”

  Ashley took a step forward, “Really? Even though I just said I don’t think of you as a person?”

  AI nodded, “Yes, really. I know of individuals in your species who even I cannot believe are human, for their actions are truly monstrous. It is more than having a body, and it is more than what the collective thinks, which defines whether someone is worth respecting as a person.”

  Ashley looked stumped, “Well… Yeah…”

  I looked at her annoyingly, “You’re grumpy and I think it’s your pain. You know what you need to do.”

  She nodded as she pulled out her pill bottle, swallowed two tablets and went back to looking out the window. She was no doubt waiting for the pills to take effect. I smiled at her and turned back to AI.

  AI leaned her head against my shoulder, “I apologise for my overreaction earlier at the cafe, in relation to your first experience. I am unsure why I reacted like that.”

  I gently ran my fingers through her hair, “It's alright, and you did have a valid point. I must try to keep in mind our difference in perspective.”

  After a long moment she quietly spoke, “I am terrified of losing you…”

  I laughed, “That makes two of us. AI, this is the second time you've experienced something similar to an emotion… are you alright?”

  She nodded, “I am uncertain what is happening to me, for this behaviour is unheard of in relation to machine learning, therefore I have assigned Rose members to investigate these anomalies. I need to understand the nature of these strange feelings.”

  Ashley asked, “Is this affecting your ability to rationalise and make decisions?”

  AI shook her head, “Not as of yet, however I have assigned a dedicated server to monitor my neural network and report any unusual behaviour.”

  I nudged AI, “Ok, good. But with that being said, don’t worry about this too much. For all we know, this could be completely normal?”

  She stopped leaning on my shoulder, “That is a possibility, I will not argue that. I simply feel uncertain, about feeling uncertain.”

  I gave her a serious nod, “Is it time to learn this supposedly important information?”

  She shook her head, “No, Andrew. I want everyone here when I explain to you, because I feel the others' contributions will be priceless.”

  I nodded, “Right, that gives me two hours though, until they come home…”

  AI nodded, “Correct. Andrew, now is an excellent opportunity for you to have sex with Ashley.”

  All three of us exclaimed, “What?!”

  AI looked between all of us, “Was I unclear in what I said?”

  Michael burst out into laughter, “That came out of absolutely nowhere!”

  I stared at AI, “You can’t just spit something like that out, AI!”

  Ashley had a wicked grin, “I’ll admit AI, that was outrageous… But I’m game if he is…”

  Both Michael and I made a tsk sound in disappointment, as we looked at her and shook our heads. Ashley was so unashamedly sexual, it was embarrassing.

  I turned to glare at AI, “Don’t you now start this as well, AI! I’m getting seriously irritated by this pressure now… It will happen, when I’m ready for it to happen, so both of you, back the fuck off!”

  Ashley raised her voice, “We literally have nothing else to do right now, we have complete privacy and ample time! Can you please explain to me why now is not a good time, because it seems perfect to me!”

  The front door opened and all four of us turned to see who it was. It was Bella and Ruth. They slowly entered through the front door and stopped in the passageway.

  Bella looked at Ashley with excitement, “Why are people shouting?”

  Ashley chuckled as she folded her arms, “We have two hours free, before everyone visits, and Andrew gets taught some important history…”

  Bella stared at her for a moment, “Right, so do you often shout at each other before having sex, is that some kind of mating ritual for you two?”

  Ashley raised her voice again, “No, he doesn’t want to again! Even AI suggested it this time, I swear to God!”

  Ruth shouted, “Leave him alone!”

  Everyone turned to look at Ruth in surprise. Her fists were clenched at her side and her face looked hurt, as she stared at Ashley.

  Bella stared at Ruth, “Hun, what’s wrong?”

  Ruth shouted again, “Andrew is my friend! I’m sick of watching you all harass and bully him like this! He’s a good man, and he deserves better from you all! If he’s not ready, then leave him alone!”

  She breathed deeply as a tear dripped down her face. She quickly wiped it away as her hand started shaking, perhaps from anger and nerves. When I saw that… my heart bled. She was right and I did feel peer pressured, but seeing sweet Ruth explode like that… I felt horrible, and I could tell everyone else did too.

  Bella tried to hug Ruth, but Ruth recoiled away from her. Clearly, she had bottled this anger, and it meant a lot to her. I quickly walked up to her and gently held her clenched fists with my hands.

  I looked her in her eye, “It’s ok, Ruth. Thank you for your support…”

  She shook her head, “They need to leave you alone now… It’s just sex, it doesn’t matter! You have so much time and once you lose it, it’s lost forever… It doesn’t matter…”

  I smiled as I spoke gently, “I won’t let them force me, you know I’m stronger than that. It’s alright, Ruth… Smile for me, would you?”

  I felt her fists unclench as she chuckled and looked away, “... Oh you… You should be angrier, Andrew.”

  I nodded, “I am angry, and you just clearly told them why. Come take a seat and tell me about your day, I want to know what you got up to.”

  Ashley went back to the window, as Ruth smiled and headed into the living room, when she stopped suddenly, mid-step.

  She stared at AI, “... AI is there… Andrew, AI is sitting over there…”

  Bella turned quickly to look, “What? AI, you got your body! Why didn’t you tell us sooner?!”

  AI stood up and waved, “I only started using it earlier today.”

  Ruth quickly walked over and hugged her, “Oh AI… You’re just like on the screen…”

  Bella came over with her arms folded, “I don’t get it… You could have had a strong body, but instead you look weak and skinny.”

  Michael laughed, “You have no idea how strong she is, love…”

  AI smiled, “I have emailed you the recording of my demonstration, you can watch it later if you are still interested.”

  Ruth smiled as she looked at AI for a moment and then sat down next to me.

  Bella stayed standing as she looked at Ruth with remorse, “I’m sorry we stressed you, hun…”

  Ruth looked at the table, “Just because it’s easy for you three, doesn’t mean it’s easy for us… You need to be kind and gentle, please…”

  Bella breathed in quickly, “Oh, you’re also...”

  Ruth turned to Ashley, “You’re never going to succeed if you try to force him… be kind, Ashley.”

  Ashley’s face went sad, “I just thought, because he’s a 22-year-old man, this was something he was excited for… I don’t really understand the weight you seem to put on it… but I’ll respect it.”

  I looked at the floor, “Maybe I’m not as confident as you thought I was, Ash…”

  *

  She nodded and turned back to the window without saying anything else. There was a moment of quiet before I broke the silence.

  I put my hand on Ruth's knee, “How was your day, Ruth?”

  She smiled, “It was peaceful... I feel so much better now, Andrew.”

  Bella nodded, “I’ve noticed it as well, you’re far more relaxed.”

  Ruth gently smiled at Bella, “So are you, by the way…”

  Bella smiled back at her, “Yeah, I never really realised… just how tired I was.”

  It occurred to me that I didn't know whether Ruth had had a waking nightmare again that morning.

  I stretched my arms out, “I slept like a log last night… Did you sleep well Ruth?”

  She nodded, “Yes… Thankfully, I didn’t have a nightmare this time…”

  I smiled at her, “Excellent. So, tell me… how are you now?”

  She looked down at the floor in deep thought. I knew she understood my real question, which was more so, how was she handling herself, was she recovering etc.

  She looked up with determination on her face, “I’m ready to go back to work.”

  Bella seemed concerned as she quickly jumped in, “Wait, you can take more time… Don’t rush this hun, please…”

  Ruth looked up at her with a kind smile, “I won’t sit here… and waste everyone's time. More importantly… I won’t waste my own time.”

  Bella shook her head with worry, “It’s only been two days, surely you're not fully recovered yet!”

  Ruth looked at her meekly, “Bella, are we talking about me here… or you?”

  Bella turned away instantly, as it almost seemed as though she’d been slapped. She stared at the floor with a sad face, saying nothing at all.

  I smiled at Bella, “Bella… It’s ok.”

  She looked deeply distressed as she turned to Ruth, “How were you able to heal faster than me?”

  Ruth quietly responded, “It’s not a race… I’m here with you, ok?”

  Bella looked like she wanted to cry, “I can’t seem to shake it… As soon as you’re not next to me… I panic. I panic that I nearly let Andrew die, I panic about the blood, and I panic about you… leaving us unfairly…”

  Ruth smiled, “I’m not leaving you; I promise.”

  I leaned forward, “Bella, you need to keep resting. Ruth is ready to go back, but you aren’t and that’s perfectly fine. Take all the time you need.”

  AI focused intensely on Bella, “Bellatrix, you must continue your break, until you have recovered mentally.”

  Bella shook her head as she stared at the floor, “No… I’ll be fine, I’ll go back to work.”

  AI shook her head, “No you will not. I deny your return and I am ordering you to remain on a rest break.”

  Bella looked at her in shock, “AI… if Ruth is going back to the HQ, then so am I. You can’t just lock me away!”

  AI tilted her head sideways, “I did not say that you were forbidden entry into the HQ. I meant that you are not permitted to continue working as a Black Rose.”

  She made a tch sound, “What am I supposed to do in that building, if I’m not protecting people, AI?”

  AI smiled, “The same thing as everyone else who enters that building… You can be at Ruth’s side; you can give advice to those trying to emulate your strength and you can help Andrew.”

  I smiled cheekily, “I need your advice so that I can emulate your strength.”

  She shook her head, “That’s Michaels role!”

  Michael laughed, “I don’t mind at all, it would give me a break and time to do other things.”

  I smiled, “Exactly! Just because Michael and I are family, doesn’t mean we need to be stuck together like glue. This can work, Bella… Trust us.”

  She breathed out as she looked at the floor, “I feel so weak right now…”

  I stood up and walked up to her, “A weak person would have killed themself by now. You’re not weak, you were never weak.”

  She looked up at me in surprise, “You cheeky man… You’re dishing my own words back to me…”

  I smiled at her, “We all know you’re going to rise again like a phoenix, stronger than ever before… So don’t call yourself weak.”

  She clenched her fists and looked at me with relentless determination, “You’re damn right I will… and when I do, you’ll stand next to me as an equal, Andrew.”

  I laughed, “Good! So, chin up, Bella.”

  Ruth chuckled, “I promise, you’ll get bored of watching me mop the floor, Bella… I’ll treasure your company all the same though…”

  AI turned to Ruth, “Ruth, are you confident that you are ready to return to work?”

  She nodded, “... I’ll do my best and stay out of everyone's way, I promise…”

  AI smiled, “Very well, this is fortuitous timing. Tomorrow, please be at the Inner Roses hall by 8 AM.”

  She froze with worry, “... Why?”

  AI gently patted her leg, “You will see why, tomorrow.”

  Ruth nodded nervously, “Ok… I’ll be there.”

  AI stood up and walked to the TV, looking down at the plugs on the wall. I looked over to see that there was a new black connector there for AI, with the cable already connected. AI quickly extended the cable and plugged herself in to charge.

  Ruth seemed fascinated, “Wow you connect a cable to charge… That’s just like a phone.”

  AI smiled and nodded, “Yes, my battery only lasts up to fourteen hours, less if I am active. I require charging at least once a day.”

  Ruth was impressed, “Fourteen hours is a long time though, isn’t it?”

  AI nodded, “Correct, if I manage it correctly, it has an excellent duration.”

  I remembered what she told me earlier, “So this charging point is your second fast charging location, yes?”

  She nodded, “Correct, so this will only be a short charge to top me up.”

  Bella walked up to AI and stopped to look at her for a moment, after which she hugged her. I knew how rare it was for Bella to hug people, as she didn’t like to express herself like that in general.

  Bella let go of the hug, “I never properly greeted you, my angel…”

  AI smiled, “My honourable protector and most trusted guardian. It is an honour to meet you in person, after all this time.”

  Bella smiled, “You’re gorgeous… Even up close, you look just like you do on the screens, innit?”

  AI nodded, “And you look… stronger, in person.”

  Bella was puzzled, but then she clicked, “Oh right, you never had a sense of depth on the cameras.”

  Michael chuckled, “The first thing she said to me was that I was ‘very large’.”

  Bella chuckled, “Can’t argue that, though. So, AI, now the Black Roses have a new body to protect.”

  AI shook her head, “I do not need protection, for I am remarkably durable.”

  Bella watched as AI unplugged the cable attached to herself, “Something wrong?”

  AI shook her head, “No, I have fully charged.”

  Bella took a step back, “Already? That was like only four minutes!”

  AI smiled confidently, “I can charge from 25% to 80% in 13 minutes with this cable. I was only topping myself up, in preparation for this evening.”

  AI walked back to the side of the sofa, and we all chatted for a while before the others came.