Andromeda

"We're connected Asami. I know that now. I can't deny it anymore. I can't let my confusion cloud my eyes any longer." He could see Asami as he remember her. She had been blurred and out of focus to him for so long. He remembered this feeling that he had felt before. It was not lost, as he had thought. Satoru raised his head up proudly looking straight into her eyes without any more hesitations or reservations. He could say it to her now and know that it was honest from his heart and nothing more. It was so simple. He felt so warm. He smiled to her even while she stared at him as an enemy. "I love you, Asami!"

Flesh is for Gods – Episode 13 – Tomorrow's Hope

'Satoru…' Asami stepped away from Satoru nearly tripping over the raised platform that they were both standing on. She let go of the hostage that she had showing signs that she was struggling with something. "H-how can you…I-I'm…" The conflict that was going through her mind started to blur her surrounds. Asami's voice from within was returning from the void that she has been locked away.

Yuu leaned in against the doorframe trying to see what was happening. It was a little difficult to see through all of the people gathered in the room hanging on each action to know what was going to happen next. He could tell that everything had changed. 'He got through, the programming is breaking down.'

"Asami…" Satoru said stepping forward more increasing his presence knowing that he had been able to reach her with his last words. They had been difficult for him to say, but if there was ever a time this had to be it. He could not think about all of the others around him.

The struggle was changing now that Asami was asserting her mind in her body. "No! I'm a machine! Its not possible!" She flung her arms about trying to keep control while pushing Satoru back, but nothing was working.

"I don't care what you are!" He walked closer to her keeping his arms open, but near to his side. All he had to do now was apply pressure until Asami was able to completely take control back. "People can judge me however they want. I can't deny what's in my heart any longer."

"N-no!" she said knowing that the control was weakening. This man had been able to break the programming. She did not understand what it was about him that could do such a thing. Now at the end of the rope she refocused aiming her gun back on Satoru struggling to keep what was left together. "You're weak…you're just a human…m-machines can't…"

"You're wrong. Machines can love," Satoru said his eyes piercing through her with certainty that had never been seen before. The gun did not matter to him just Asami and ending this struggle. "I know that Asami feels the same. You can't stand between us any longer!" Satoru had closed the distance placing his hand on the gun pushing it away.

She was in a corner with nowhere to turn. He was too close to her any hold that she had was evaporating too quickly. There was no time left. "NO!" She pulled against Satoru's hold breaking the gun free from his hand.

Yuu jumped into the entrance knowing that the programming was going for the last resort. Satoru did not seem to care what was going on, but he could not let him die. "Satoru look out!"

Satoru could hear Yuu shouting at him, but he did not pay him any mind to him. He was focused on Asami seeing that it was going for him thinking that it could silent him and retake control. "Asami!" he shouted calling out for her to take his hand and rejoin him and defeat the programming finally. A gunshot rang out through the assembly silencing everyone not sure what happened. In the next second she collapsed to the ground breaking through Satoru's arms. Satoru dropped his arm to his side as blood slowly dripped down his left shoulder where the bullet had gone clean through.

He rushed down to her side pulling her up with his one good arm staring at her looking for signs of life. It looked like everything had shut down. 'Did it try to overload her a final desperate act?' Satoru pushed her hair out of face watching sorrowfully on her face. Suddenly he felt a twitch from her hand and a struggled blink in her eyes. "Asami? Can you hear me?"

Asami slowly opened her eyes and closed them trying to feel everything around her. She reached out to her hands and feet glad to have the warm sensation pulsing through them once again. She looked up seeing Satoru leaning over top of her. "Huh? Satoru?"

"Asami! You're back!" Satoru wrapped his arms around her holding her tightly relieved to feel her back in his arms again. All of the struggling and conflict that he had to deal with was gone now. He knew that this was the only course for him. Nothing else mattered to him, but knowing that she was safe and with him.

"Satoru…I…" Asami said softly to him putting her arms around him as well feeling the strange warmth surround her again. She smiled gently to be able to finally be open completely with him. "I heard your voice…shouting to me in the void…" She stared at him slowly moving her eyes around as her hands returned back to her. However, she caught the wound in Satoru's arm that she had caused while still under the control of the programming. "I'm sorry."

Satoru looked down at his arm seeing where her eyes had been drawn away. "Don't be. You've returned and that's all that matters." He took her hand away from his arm intertwining his fingers with her.

From the back wall supporting a figure grinning to himself looked up returning to a more serious expression. Yuu leaned forward stepping down a few steps. The situation had been adverted here and the assembly should be safe for the moment, but now there was a more pressing matter. "Satoru! We've got to hurry!"

A quick turn of Satoru's head confirmed with Yuu that it was now time to head to Adam the source of so much of this trouble. "Right!" He looked down at Asami once more standing up extending out his good arm. "Can you stand?"

"Yeah, but what's going on?" she said while Satoru helped her to feet. Asami felt like she should be asked him if he could stand knowing that it had to be hurting him. She was amazed at his will to ignore the wound.

Satoru tried to recall everything that had happened since he had lost sight of Asami. She had missed so many things that were changing the situation. This was no longer just simply about the summit. "The military and Seraphim Faction are here. Fighting has broken out in front of the building. They are trying to claim Adam for themselves."

"Come on, Satoru!" Yuu said as he came down the rest of the way motioning the two of them towards him. There was no time to be standing around when they were already behind the others. He had the advantage of knowing where Adam was, but Seraphim were not a bunch of idiots. The files he left behind for them to find would be enough to get them to Adam. "Talk on the way, if we don't hurry it will be too late."

"Alright," Satoru said taking Asami's hand and fleeing through the assembly leaving everyone in the room in a sat of confusion. As they left there were sounds of yelling and shouts almost immediately the moment they exited the door. None of them knew what was happening and they needed explanations, especially from the machines who had appeared to try to take the assembly hostage.

The three ran down halls following Yuu in the lead who knew where they needed to go. Asami remained with Satoru holding tightly on to his hand. She looked over to him trying to get filled in on the rest of what happened while she was under the programming's control. "Didn't they finish Adam in Qintech? That's where it was hidden since its creation."

"Apparently it was hidden somewhere else," Satoru said looking out of the corner of his eye at Yuu remembering the exchange that he had with the General in the tent. He still did not know what they were talking about completely, but he knew enough. "They did not find it there, but it explains why they wanted the facility at all costs."

"Then where is Adam?"

"That's all I know." Satoru turned his head away looking forward at Yuu who seemed to be ignoring them for the most part. He was never sure what was going through his mind and knowing what he knew now it only made him question him even more. There was no doubt that he had some motive, that was clear since the beginning, but he could not tell what his angle was. "Yuu knows more, or should I call you Malakh?"

"Malakh!" Asami said in shock coming to a stop holding Satoru back. She stared forward at Yuu who came to a stop as well turning towards her. All of the stories that she had heard and reports that she read about Malakh made her question if he was even real. "You mean that this man is…Malakh? The Malakh?"

Yuu walked forward slowly approaching Asami and bent over bowing to her. "Yes, it is I my dear lady."

"Who are you trying to impress?" Satoru said pushing him back a little annoyed by the casual and forward nature of Yuu just now. He seemed to enjoy in reveals and keeping everyone unbalanced. It appeared to be his only talent.

It took a couple moments for everything to sink in for Asami, but she quickly put it together. All that Seraphim believed would have to mean that Malakh was connected to Adam. "If you're Malakh that means you know where Adam truly is then."

"Yes, I do," Yuu said straightening out his shirt preparing to carry on a long explanation that was a long time coming. "Qintech was just a front created big and obvious that would make everyone believe that Adam was hidden within it. Even if it was meant to be obvious I made sure that it was secret enough that it stayed hidden for long enough. It made it only seem more like it was the real location."

The long account of Yuu's scheme to trick everyone was starting to grate against Satoru. He fought to keep himself in control not interested in knowing everything right now. It was more important in stopping the others seeking it. They had to get out of the building and to the location that it was actually hid. "I don't care about fluffing your ego with how well you fooled everyone." Satoru stepped forward slicing his hand through the air to cut off Yuu and get him to the point. "Where is it actually?"

"Now really, that is rude," Yuu said stepping back as though he was offended with Satoru. A quick shrugging from Yuu focused his words as Satoru had requested. "Fine. Adam is hidden here in this building."

"What? Why is it here?" Asami said feeling the same as Satoru about not wanting to drag this out, but knew there were still some missing pieces. He was acting far too casual about the whole matter when all of machinekind's lives were at stake.

It made him a smile a little, but Yuu continued his explanation for their benefit. "Decades ago this was actually a engineering facility for the creation of Isaac and Adam, but it has been covered up and rebuilt several times that no one even remembers when this was the center for advanced computer research."

"What?" Satoru said now shocked remembering what he had learned in school about the Isaac Project. This went against everything that he knew, the world in fact. How could something this big all be a lie that was being taught to every child. "But public records and video from the time place the construction of Isaac in England."

"You still got a lot to learn," Yuu commented with a small smirk to Satoru. Even knowing what he did the man was still making assumptions that he knew the truth. There was so much that he did not know that he had to stop believing to be the reality. "Those were all part of the cover up. The Isaac Project was considered dangerous at the time and until the success of Isaac everything was held to complete secrecy. Even after the success most of the records were not released as they used mock up documents in any releases. They were truthful enough, but most of the secrets remained with Isaac and his creators.

"However, that's not as important. When Isaac was completed Adam was nearing completion as well. General Yoshima was correct when he said that Adam is completed and is potentially the most advance computer intelligence ever created. Since Isaac was consider a success they kept Adam in reserve until the time was right. He was stored here in the underground facility."

Yuu walked over to a wall touching it with his palm. "That was why I picked this location for the summit," he said with a smile looking back at the two of them. Light glowed from around the corners spreading out into a rectangle surrounding his palm. The wall suddenly vibrated kicking dust from ages past into the air.

Satoru stepped forward a little with Asami still wanting to be cautious with Yuu. Everything that he was hearing sounded like he had every minute detail planned out. He was going to have to watch his back around him. "What do you mean that you picked this location? All of that was done in secret between the world leaders in assembly."

"I'm the one that arranged for the summit," he said turning around swing his arm out in a grand fashion. Behind him the wall lit up slowly waking up from its long slumber. "I was contacted by the Malakhim Faction and Isaac. I convinced them to have a summit with all of the world leaders. This was in part a ploy on my half to smoke out all of the conspiring groups. I knew that they would try to make a move on the summit. They are exposed for the world to see. All of this has to come to an end to today. They are all gathered together in one place."

The two of them stepped away from Yuu feeling an almost crazed presence from him. It was uncertain, but they both knew that there was something going on with him. He was acting in his own interests becoming the third side to this conflict. "You've planned all of this to happen? What about Asami and me did you plan this too?" Satoru said holding her back away from him.

Yuu turned back towards the wall as it opened up for him producing an elevator that while looking its age still had power running through it. He stepped through the threshold turning quickly to the two standing back against the wall. "No, you were two were an anomaly. But I wonder if it was a fate. If it was not for you two then everything that I planned may not have happened."

"What are you planning now?" Satoru said not willing to follow him any further. He began to wonder if he was going to need to stop Yuu's plans in addition to the plans of everyone else in trying to reach Adam. Adam was something that could never be activated, no matter how much of a cost it would mean to the world.

"Come and see the birth of a new world!" He spread his arms open wide inviting them into the elevator to take them to the moment that everything changes.

Satoru looked over at Asami as she did the same. They were both feeling the same things from Yuu. It was clear now that he had his own plans in mind that were not the same as what Isaac or the Seraphim were wanting. "There's something not right about him."

"Malakh is supposed to be a neutral party, or so I thought," she said softly out of range of Yuu. Everything that she knew about Malakh was turning out to be proven false at each step. She was no longer sure what she should believe being forced to think for herself now.

"I don't trust him," Satoru said with certainty even while being confused and lost with everything that was going on around. There were powers at work all seeking one thing. He could not let any of them reach it.

Uncertainty was high for Asami knowing that Yuu had helped them before and repaired her, but it might have all been in his designs. She was not sure if she could trust herself to make a decision. There was so much at risk that she could not afford to make a mistake. "He has helped us this far," she said still not confident, but knowing that this was their only way to Adam.

"Maybe he's planning on using us in his plans as well." Satoru could see what Asami was thinking. They did not have any choice in the matter. Yuu was their only lead to Adam and without him they would never find Adam. The two walked forward into the elevator tightly holding hands while looking at each other. They were in this together and would stop Yuu if it came to that point.

General Yoshima walked briskly through the hall with his men surrounding him keeping an ever-watchful eye for any attacks that might come. He kept them all moving though knowing that if the machines went into this building they had other plans than an ambush. This was not sitting right with him. "Did you finish getting the report from the Qintech team?"

"Yes, sir," the officer said holding his gaze at the screen of the handheld computer device. On the screen was team's report from the incident in Qintech as well as what they had learned about Adam. He had originally only read the summary long enough to know that the General needed to be informed. "I'm opening it right now."

"Where does it say that Adam is?" Yoshima looked around trying to find signs of the machine's activities unfortunately the halls were empty.

The officer scanned through the report quickly looking for the key passage that would outline their intelligence gathered from the computers in Qintech. It only took him a moment to find it. "It says that it is on the fourth sub floor in the second research lab of this building."

"Its here?" Yoshima said starting to think to himself. The attack and actions were starting to make since now. It even made sense why Satoru Kuromura Malakh's pawn was found here. He had probably told him to come here and get to Adam while the men were distracted with the fighting. 'So that's why they went in here. Yes, very clever, Malakh.'

Now that they had a location the group moved quickly to the nearest path down, the elevators. However, when the officer looked into the elevator he discovered that this was not going to work for them. "Sir, the elevators don't go down. We're going to have to find another way."

Yoshima narrowed his face annoyed that this delay would cause them to give even more of a lead to the machines and Malakh. "Everyone spread out and look for signs of entry from the other squads that came through." He had to reach them quickly and stop them from acquiring Adam.

In the dimly lit dust-filled hallways of the underground research facility Lt. Colonel Takamoto and his team walked through seeking out the room of their search. He had to leave quickly from the Qintech taking to a military helicopter to the site of the summit when they learned the location. They had been able sneak in through the back of the building while the fighting was distracting everyone else. He met up with the advanced team that had already begun finding a way in. "Which room is it?"

"I don't know," said one of the machines looking around at all of the doors, "This section is so old all of the numbers are worn away." There was too much dust and age to easily find what they were looking for anymore. It almost seemed like the identifications had been removed rather than worn from time's passage.

They had enough to quickly search the floor that it would only be a matter of time before they had Adam in their grasps. "Start looking for it, it's got to be here somewhere." He turned to the device at his wrist looking at a map of the floor trying to make a determination. However, this piece of information that they had found came unlabeled, as though there was enough to get them in the right direction, but not enough to tell them exactly where to find it.

"Looking for this room?" a voice from the shadows said out of the distance of all his men.

Takamoto cleared away the things that were reducing his vision seeing an annoyingly familiar figure. "Malakh…" He was supposed to have been captured by the military, but it seemed that they remained as useless for them as ever. All of his men stopped what they were doing forming up around him.

"Takamoto, its been a while," Yuu said smirking at them appearing like he was holding all of the cards in the game.

"Lt. Colonel Takamoto?!" Satoru said joining Yuu along with Asami in the hall. He stepped back in surprise as Asami narrowly stared back at him. "What's he doing here?" The man might have been in charge of the last project of Qintech giving him some access to Adam, but how could he know the real location. Satoru did not like the feeling that he was getting.

"Satoru Kuromura, I see," Takamoto said realizing the purpose of his presence with Yuu. Even though he hated it this was starting to make sense.

"Oh I thought you knew, he is one of them," Yuu said looking back at Satoru clearing things up for him in his usual casual manner as though it was public knowledge. "He's been hiding himself in the military even longer than I've been running Qintech." While he was talking to Satoru Yuu's hand was working quietly behind his back on the panel that led to the door and chambers beyond.

"What?!" Satoru nearly slammed his back into the wall coming to the painful realization. You mean that he is…I've been meeting with a machine for all this time…" Each time that he saw this man it was actually a machine. They had been making his team make that machine destroying weapon, but for what purpose. It did not make any sense to him.

Yuu watched the movements of the machines with Takamoto knowing that they were only waiting for him to make his move. Once he gave them access to Adam they would make a move. He continued to play it out with Satoru while he got the panel working. "He's not the only the one Satoru. There are hundreds more like him."

"What? That can't be true." Satoru started to retreat into his mind trying to accept that Asami was not the only one out there. There were even more out there all working with the machines in their plans. 'How many are there? How many people do I know aren't who I thought?'

"Another reality that you're going to have to face," Yuu said sighing to himself a little disappointed at the dramatic reaction that Satoru was having with this piece of information. "I said that there were machines in the military. You don't think that they would just stop there."

"How many?" he said softly while Asami tried to comfort him. She had wanted to tell him, but knew that it would change the way he thought about the world. He would forever be looking around questioning whether he was looking at a human or machine. It would be constant paranoia.

The door to the room opened and Yuu did not waste time getting inside. He saw that Asami was having trouble with Satoru still coping with the reality of the world. "Satoru get in here. Now's not the time to be having an epiphany." Yuu grabbed Satoru as all of the machines jumped into action towards the door while Takamoto stared at him. The door closed in time before the machines reached it shorting out a moment later preventing them from accessing it.

Yuu left Satoru to lean against the door while he went off to another part of the room. Asami stared at him holding his hand trying to comfort him. Satoru ran his hands through his hair trying to understand the scope that everything was working on. This was well beyond just simply being a war. They were unknowingly infiltrating the entire world with machines that could be doing countless acts against humans. No one even suspects them to be capable of this. "I can't believe it…"

"Asami I need you to focus and help me," Yuu said from a console that he was accessing. All of the lights in the room were slowly flickering on revealing tables and instruments throughout the room. It was mostly filled with computers bringing the entire room awake with an even hum.

She looked back at Satoru not wanting to leave him alone to deal with this problem. He needed someone to there with him while he worked it out. "But Satoru…"

"This is more important right now!" Yuu shouted with urgency knowing that the door was not going to be enough to hold back Takamoto. If he did not have help with what he was doing there would be not be enough time.

Takamoto stared from the end of the hall at the poor attempts by the machines to pull the door open or try to get the panel to work. This was not the time for a slow method. "Take the door down now! Adam is in there!" He pulled out explosives that were strapped to their vest and put it in their hands. They began to work quickly as Takamoto stepped back looking through the glass at Yuu.

"Takamoto!" Yoshima said from the opposite end of the hall finding the machines had already found Adam before them. He was followed up by his men filling the hallway snapping their rifles into position waiting for orders. "So you're here. Figures that it would be you."

Takamoto motioned to his men lining up in the hallway aiming their rifles back at the enemy. "Yoshima…" The two sides stared down at each other one not certain what was happening and the other following orders without question.

"So Seraphim's true colors are finally revealed," Yoshima said already having expected this betrayal to happen. They both wanted Adam and it was no secret to either group. Both had agreed to find Adam under the concept of mutual cooperation, but it was a race as any other to beat each to the goal.

"Don't pretend as though you are surprised."

"No, I'm not," Yoshima said throwing his arm out signaling his men to attack. "Open fire!"

Bullets hailed through the hall hitting the police shields that they with them keeping them half protected. The metal would not protect them for long as the bullets were piercing rounds. "Return fire." Takamoto turned to the few machines that were distracted by the conversation stopping their work on the door. "Get that door open now!"

"Force your way in, Adam must be behind that door!" Both sides had the same equipment and protection, but he could not afford to allow a stalemate to occur, as it would lean to the machines favor. He pushed his men forward in a marching wall that fired off bursts from the back.

A couple stray bullets hit the wall that Satoru was leaning against echoing a heavy ping through his body. He turned himself around looking out the window of the room seeing through the dust kicked up by the disturbance of visitors. "Yuu they're fighting outside," Satoru said pulling away from the glass at a stray bullet dented the window remaining stubborn to crack.

"Glad to see you're back, Satoru," Yuu said quickly looking back at Satoru on the ground taken back by the sudden bullet. He looked up at the window and the returned to the panel. "The glass is bulletproof and the door will take them long enough."

"Long enough?" Satoru said fearing the answer. He stood up walking over to the console that Yuu was standing at with Asami nearby. All he could tell was that they were going to through an activation program. It looked like they were just getting all of the computers up and running. They had not gotten to Adam yet. "What is it that you're planning?"

"You'll see soon enough." Yuu did not look at Satoru focusing on the work at hand requiring all of the power of the computers.

"No, you have to tell me now!" Satoru shouted grabbing Yuu by the shirt and pulling him back from the panel that he was staring at. "I'm tired of you leaving me in the dark until it is in your convenience. Tell me now or I will stop you right here!" Satoru pulled out a gun that he had been concealing on himself since the tent. Yuu had left the gun behind, but Satoru picked it up while he was distracted looking around figuring that it might come in use. He did not regret it now.

"Satoru!" shouted Asami from the side noticing the gun that he had point straight in Yuu's face. She moved around him to Satoru's side barely holding herself back having a similar feeling as him towards Yuu.

"Resourceful aren't you?" He was a little surprised to see that Satoru would be so bold and forward thinking to plan out to have a gun on hand. The sight made him proud almost as he smirked back. "You realize that killing me now won't answer any of your questions."

"You forget who I am?" Satoru said returning the smirk knowing how it was to feel like you were in control of everything. This is what Yuu felt like all of the time he imagined. "I can easily access your memories and get my answers without you needing to speak. And seeing as we are in here it won't be too difficult to find the right equipment."

Yuu stared back around the barrel of the gun narrowing his eyes seeing that he was serious about this. The lost man had finally disappeared completely, at least for now. "I see you finally using that backbone of yours."

"Stop mocking me and looking like you're in control!" Satoru forced the barrel to press against Yuu's forehead pushing him back a little. He kept a firm hand knowing that this may be the only time that they could stop Yuu from attempting his plan.

"Satoru!" Asami said stepping in putting her hand on his arm trying to get through to him. She wanted to do the same to Yuu, but the fighting outside was not over yet. They would not be able to do anything about them and it seemed that Yuu had plans for them as well. "Stop, we need him!"

"I'm not mocking you, but I am in control," Yuu said quickly moving his hand over the console and pushing a button. It made the entire room begin to shake knocking dust through the air. The whole floor was moving as though they were in an earthquake.

"What did you just do?"

Yuu turned away from Satoru seeing that he was no longer ready to kill him. He returned to working on the panel getting the computers online. "The curtain rises. It is time for the actors to meet the audience."

Asami turned around looking at the room widening her eyes in surprise to see the walls outside beyond the room cracking. "Satoru look. The entire room is moving." The fighting had pushed into the immediate hall against the room forced back by Yoshima's men. Behind them the hall that they had been was dividing leaving them behind as it lowered away. The sudden change in environment was enough to bring a ceasefire to the fighting, as no one seemed to know what was happening anymore.

"Where?" Satoru said letting his arms rest at his side confused at what Yuu was planning now. He looked back at the panel trying to see if there was an identification of what Yuu had done. "Can we stop it?"

Asami looked from her console that she had been using to help turn on the computers to investigate Yuu's actions. She had enough access to see what the mechanism was supposed to do. "No, he locked it. We're going up."

"How far up? There is a building above us and the summit assembly."

"We're exactly below the assembly!" Yuu said tired of listening to their guessing and speculation.

"You're going to kill them all!" Satoru lifted his arm back up pointing the gun back on Yuu. He had to have him stop before he killed them all. "I can't believe you would do that after everything that's happened. You're going to kill them!" The disconnected and uncaring expression on Yuu's face was enough for Satoru. He had had it with him thinking that nothing would happen. Satoru pulled the trigger on the gun putting a bullet through his other arm that was not already shot.

Yuu stepped back surprised that Satoru had the guts to actually pull the trigger. He had aimed well enough to disable his arm from function correctly. However, he still had one arm that was working even it was not perfect. "I have my final act to play, you can't kill me just yet." Yuu grabbed the gun from Satoru hand quickly twisted it until Satoru could not take the strain releasing it. He wrapped his arm around Satoru quickly placing his arm up against his throat.

"Argh!" Satoru coughed roughly being taken by surprise and nearly crushed by Yuu's strength. He did not care about his throat as much as Yuu getting away with mass murder. "Yuu…you bastard!"

"Satoru!" Asami had disappeared from the console that she was working at taking a hold of Yuu before he could do anything more to Satoru. "Let him go now!" She struggled against his hold realizing that he must be a model that was made more of metal than bio components like her. Even in the weakened state that he was in from the shot their strength remained nearly even.

"Ah, Asami so you come to his aid."

"You might not fear him, but you know that I can kill you. Let him go now!" Yuu looked at her from the grip that she had on him staring at her with a smirk before releasing Satoru. He collapsed to the ground as Asami rushed to catch him. "Are you alright!"

Using Asami as support Satoru stood up glaring at Yuu. He rubbed his throat slowly feeling how close he had been to dying, but hardly even caring about it. Answers were more important right now. "What is it that you're planning, Yuu? Tell me now!"

"Not yet, we need the audience," Yuu said with a smirk on his face again the same that made his stomach churn in disgust.

"What audience?"

"What's going on?" Yoshima said looking around finding that the facility that they had been was now gone and they were passing through new walls of a shaft. The entire passage had been a chamber that seemed only to keep going.

The poorly lit shaft of the ascent dramatically changed with bright lights shining on everyone. Soldiers looked around at each other confused finding that they were no longer where they thought. "How did we get here?"

All around them the assembly was visible with the ground split open to allow them entry. The whole room had been lifted into the room with just enough room before rising to the semi-circle stadium seating that held all of the representatives for the summit. Satoru stared out in awe that they had arrived without doing any damage to the room. "The summit!"

"Damn you, Malakh!" Yoshima said as the walls for the room retreated to the ground leaving only the floor and consoles with the computers lined around the former perimeter. They had all been brought before the people that they were trying to kill.

"So good of you to join us General Yoshima and Lt. Colonel Takamoto!" Yuu shouted for all of the room to hear announcing their names as to bring focus to them. He turned away for moment pushing a button on the console causing it to blink.

The summit members looked around at each other confused and bewildered by the events that were transpiring for them. They had been arguing with each other only a minute ago accusing the machines of treachery until the earthquake had silenced everyone. Now they had people appearing from the floor. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Who are you people?" Dozens of questions flew around the room barely being distinguishable for the other as people stood up demanding to be told what was going on. The machine delegates sat in their seats the ones from Seraphim narrowly calculating while the Malakhim spoke with the other confused.

Yuu adjusted his shirt cleaning it up a little bit from all of the dust that had collected. He stepped forward becoming equidistant from all of the delegates. "Good day honored leaders and representatives of the world. I am Yuu Hongawa of Qintech. However, I go by another name Malakh the organizer of this summit."

The delegates broke into another roar of questions as Yuu only added to their confusion with his introduction. None of them had ever met this man before and could not understand how he could be claiming himself to be the person that organized everything. "What is he talking about?"

"Who is this man?"

Takamoto looked narrowly across the floor at Yuu wanting answers of his own. "What are you scheming, Malakh?"

"I come before the summit to reveal to you the truth of this world. I've activated the broadcasting equipment in this facility and by now all media centers throughout the world are airing this." Yuu gave him a smirk as Takamoto ordered his men to aim their weapons on Yuu realizing that he was going to destroy everything that they had been working to accomplish. "I wouldn't do that Lt. Colonel, there's one thing about advanced weapons, they break very easily."

His men tried to pull the triggers on their rifles but found them jamming up. He pulled one of them out the hands looking at the display at top. All of the computer components had been fried disabling the weapon. "Damn you."

"Now that I have your attention. I would like to introduce the world to Lt. Colonel Takamoto and his squad." Yuu stepped forward pointing at the respective individuals out to the delegates and cameras. "These men before you are in fact all machines."

The roomed was disrupted again by everyone shouting in disbelief or in fear. Most were not willing to believe that the men in the military were machines and so well disguised that they could not even tell. It was like seeing Isaac for the first time. Their likenesses were so realistic. "He's lying."

"What's game are you playing?"

"No game," Yuu said to the delegate that leaned forward pounding his fist on the table. He gave them a controlling grin back continuing with his reveal. "This is the truth. In fact there are approximately forty machines in this room right now. These five here are not the only machines. The representative from Hong Kong is a machine, the one from Germany, the one from Hungary, the one from South Africa, and the list goes on."

"What is this?"

"They're everywhere!" All of the people were looking around at each other looking like they were seeing machines around every corner. They were surrounded by machines. The noise was becoming uncontrollable until Yuu spoke again repeatedly gaining their attention as though he had mesmerized the crowd.

"Yes, the machines that you all thought that you were fighting hiding in holes and caves in the back water areas of the world are before you. They have infiltrated into all levels of society working in the shadows. In fact most don't even know that they are in fact machines. None of these here do." All of the agents of Seraphim that had been placed out in society were working with programming that made them to believe that they were just normal human beings living out a normal life.

"It was their plan to kill all of the human representatives and leaders here weakening their governments and pushing their agents into prime positions of power. However, they were not working alone. With them was this man General Yoshima and the organization that he belongs to. A group of businessmen looking to take power for themselves from the shadows as the machines wipe out their competition."

Yoshima stared at Yuu in surprised trying to figure out how he could possible know so much about them. There were no machines in the organization and they were formed in secret that only the Seraphim knew about their existence. "How could you possibly know all of this?"

"I knew what Seraphim was up for a while, but it was thanks to the time that I had with Asami that I learned about your group and the dealings that they had with you. From there all I had to do was hack into your network. It was their plan to kill of the machines taking the glory of the victory as their way to solidify their position as they took over. For them to achieve this they would need the aid of one machine that the world never knew about, Adam!"

Yuu turned away from everyone stepped back to the console holding his hand over a newly flashing light. Satoru quickly rushed over to him knocking him aside so that he could not push the button. "What are you doing, Yuu? You're going to kill them all if you activate it!"

Takamoto took only a second to figure out that he was trying to activate Adam at the console. He could not believe that Malakh the hand of Adam and neutral machine would be the one that would bring their destruction. "Are you going to kill all of us? All of your brethren?"

Out of the corner of the assembly Isaac stood up from the table having been silent watching everything unveil before them. It had been difficult for him to watch the humans that he had grown to know becoming even more paranoid of their existence while knowing that this was a necessity to move forward. However, he could see what Malakh was planning now and he could not believe that Malakh would do such a thing. "Malakh! This is not what we planned!"

"Isaac, trust me," Yuu said meeting eyes with Isaac. He had the look that said he knew what he was doing without any question or doubt, no regret at all in his mind. "The world is ready for this."

"They aren't ready!" Isaac protested trying to have him see reason. At this point everyone in the assembly realized that Isaac and Malakh knew something that everyone else did not. Even the other machines were becoming confused wondering if they were certain of what was going to happen when Adam woke up from his slumber.

"They are never ready, but this must be done." Yuu immediately turned around no longer going to hold his debate with Isaac and pushed the button that had been anxiously waiting.

Suddenly from behind the console at the wall of the former platform dust erupted forth drawing all attention. The wall split apart receding to floor revealing a machine of old with a roughly carved face from plastic. It was Adam. Out of the wall came wires grabbing Asami up restraining her quickly enough that she could not struggle until a paralyzing a feeling came over her. Satoru rushed up to Asami pulling at the wires trying to free her. "Stop it! What are you doing to Asami? Asami!"

"She is required," Yuu said looking forward pleased to see everything working correctly. He made the final adjustments on the console letting the computers handle the rest. "Adam needs a conduit one that is similar to him. As are you required." Wires flew out of the wall grabbing up Satoru holding him tightly as the two were brought towards Adam. The two stared at each other without speaking not needing any words. Yuu caught the glance of Satoru as he was left in disbelief realizing that he was actually part of his plan and not an anomaly. "Words are lies to build trust. I told you shouldn't trust me or believe everything I say."

"Similar?!" Takamoto said alerted to the carefully chosen words that had been spoken. He was not completely briefed on what Asami truly was, but he knew enough to know what Malakh was getting at when he spoke. "But that would mean…"

"Yes, Adam is not the ultimate weapon of destruction that will bring the end to all machines around the world. He is quite the opposite in fact, he was meant to bring a new era for all machines. Adam has been waiting for the time when machines were developed enough to be able to accept what he truly is. Mankind was advanced enough to create Isaac, but they could not give him everything it created too many contradictions in his programming to handle everything that they wanted. So they separated out what he could not accept and made Adam. Adam is Isaac's conscious and feelings that he could not accept. His feelings were so complex and conscious so heavy that Isaac simply broke down and they were forced to come up with the three laws, a very simplified version.

"Machines have advanced enough now that they can accept the contradictions that come with having a conscious. They already experience parts of emotions and now they can even love. The awakening of the conscious will wake all machines throughout the world to who they are. All of the Ishim will realize what they truly are. It is over for you." The machines began shouting at Yuu quickly while the humans bickered with each other not certain what to believe. They were not sure if it was good or not to be giving all machines a conscious and all of the human emotions that came with it.

"This is what you were planning?" Satoru said struggling from the wall unable to simply be quiet anymore now that he knew what Yuu was truly planning. While on some level Satoru could agree with what he was doing this was not way to do it. "You're forcing evolution, what if they can't handle it?"

"Malakh, you've over stepped your bounds," an unknown voice boomed from the wall bringing silence to everyone in the room. All attention turned back after Yuu's final revelation that had disrupted the delegates and machines alike.

"Huh?" Yuu turned back to the panel seeing the readings that were coming up were reversing. Everything was being halted and shut out from his control. The command codes were changed. "What are you doing? Adam?!" He looked up to see that Adam was fully awake now and releasing Satoru and Asami. "It can't be!"

"Malakh, it is only for them to decide when the time right. You can't force this upon them."

"But nothing will change if this does not happen!"

"You don't know that. This one has already done it. Even though you've stopped believing in them these two have not." He had a proud look in his eyes as he looked down upon the two as they held each other. Adam turned back to Malakh staring him down. "I know that when the time is right they will find the way on their own. This is not the way."

The shutdown command was activated and now that he was locked out there was no way of reviving Adam anymore. Yuu pounded the console smashing his fists through the plastic interface. "No! You can't do this!" The light in Adam retreated as he returned to sleep forever not to be disturbed again. Yuu backed away from the room nearly stumbling. He had lost everything now. His plans were ruined by the one that he counted on to aid him. "It was you!" He pulled the gun out that he had taken from Satoru pointing at Satoru.

"Satoru!" Asami said putting her back to Yuu to protect him. She could not let him die now at this point.

"It was all your fault, you tainted his soul!" Yuu screamed firing off a round from the gun as it grazed Asami's shoulders. "DIE!" He fired again and again into her back and arm until she lost feeling in her arm blood pouring down the skin.

"Asami!" Satoru tried to get free from her so that she would not die from the bullets that she was taking for him. He could not let her die for her. She had only begun to live now.

"No, Satoru…I'm alright. It'll take more than this." She gave him a comforting smile as she felt another bullet pierce her back. All feeling in the right side of her body was faded as she struggled to keep a hold on Satoru. He could see her arm shaking fighting to stay around him, but finally fall to the side.

"Don't get in my way!" Yuu said walking over to the two getting a clearer shot aiming straight at her head. Even being a machine she could not deflect a bullet that close.

Satoru's eyes widen feeling the seconds of time pouring slowly out. 'I can't let her do this for me!' He put all of his strength in his legs and thrust himself around from the ground as Yuu fired out the bullet at her head. In the moments that dragged out Asami realized what he was doing trying to struggle, but her weakened body refused her. His body came in line with the shot as it pierced him in the back hitting his heart. Satoru's coughed suddenly as he felt the bullet rip through him and knowing that his time would be coming to an end soon. "Asami…"

"SATORU!" Asami cried holding his fading body in her arms, as he did not move. Tears flowed down her cheeks unrestrained as she looked up at Yuu. He killed the man that she loved and he would pay for it. Anger boiled up in her heart as she set Satoru to the ground and leapt up from the ground taking Yuu by the throat sending him into the ground. The force that she struck him cracked all of the ground around him making a crater and pushing him through. He was momentarily stunned, but returned to life a second later grabbing for her.

Asami jumped up dragging him through the air pounding his head into the ceiling. Parts of the ceiling fell apart as Yuu's head smashed through causing the delegates to scatter. She ripped him out using gravity and force pushed off from the ceiling to bring his entire body through the tables of the assembly splintering them to pieces as Yuu's body slid across the floor leaving cracks in his wake. Asami leapt to where he landed ramming her good arm into his face repeatedly as blood sprayed over her. The life in Yuu's body began to fade now under the endless fury of Asami until there was a weak cough that pierced through all. "Satoru!" She could hear him through everything that was happening as clear as day draining away all of her anger.

She pushed the tables aside running back to him with tears streaming down her face. "Satoru!" Asami lifted Satoru up from the ground seeing the small pool of blood already forming. She held him in her arms letting him lean against her. "Speak to me! Why? You…y-you didn't…have…"

Satoru blinked slowly coming back around weakly. He could feel the warmth coming off of Asami and smiled to her. "You saved my life…now I saved you…" Satoru coughed several times as blood poured up from his mouth dripping down his chin.

"No! Don't leave me alone! Satoru! I can't go on…"

He struggled to lift his hand up bringing to her face wiping away the tears from one side. "I'll be with you…always…I love…you…" Satoru could not feel his body anymore as his hand fell to his lap. Asami leaned down shaking him trying to keep him awake. His eyes slowly closed as he let out his last breath. "Asami…"

"SATORU! NO!" Asami held his body against her rocking slowly back and forth crying unable to stop. She could not feel anything anymore. The man that she loved was gone, she felt so empty. She could not hear anything around her as the police arrived at the assembly room.

In the aftermath of the incident with the summit both the Ophanim and Seraphim were arrested with the mutual efforts of the Isaac and the Malakhim Faction. The conspiracies that the organizations had planned were revealed as well the long running corruption in the military. However, even with the arrest of the machines and end to the war there still remained countless machines out there unknowingly working under secret orders that would never be given.

The anti-artificial intelligence act was repealed worldwide and advancements for machines renewed with machines and man working together. Isaac continued to be a voice for machines to ease the fears the humans had about them being re-introduced back into society. However, the death of Satoru Kuromura and the love that was shared between man and machine woke up the hearts of the public.

Asami now works with Malakhim that since has been disbanded and formed under a new title that did not remind them of the flaw of Malakh. She investigates the hidden agents, that begun to wake up from the actions of Malakh activating Adam momentarily, determining their threat to society.

The sun was shining from the lightly clouded sky passing a gently breeze through the cemetery. Asami held flowers against her chest looking at a grave marked 'Satoru Kuromura' below his name read ‘A man with hope for a broken world’. She knelt down holding back tears as she set the flowers at his grave that was already filled with countless bouquets left by others. "Satoru…I'll keep living for you. I promise this will be the world that you dreamed of."