Ava and Aphrodite: The First Human in 8000 Years (Featured)

Chapter 86: Sylvie's Lie

Ava and Aphrodite rushed into the control room, to their dismay all the screens had a countdown on them, only just past the seven-minute mark. Sylvie was slumped next to the main console on her knees, her connections still jacked into the main computer.

The moment the two saw her they ran up to her, Ava held her arm,

"Sylvie! What are you doing? Aphrodite said you were going to stop the security system but-" Ava started,

"A-Ava?" Sylvie said weakly, she was struggling to talk, "how... how did you get here?"

"You asked me to get him remember?" said Aphrodite,

"No... no! You weren't meant to come. How did you hack the system if you don't know how to code in this language?" Sylvie mustered up her energy,

"What do you mean? You asked Aphrodite to bring me!" Ava replied. Sylvie didn't reply for a while, she sighed,

"I-I lied. I asked her to get you so that she'd leave. I didn't think you'd be able to get back in. How did you get in?"

"That's not important now! Disconnect from the system, your body's too weak to hack anything. The security system isn't down, we'll all be toast in five minutes if you don't-"

"I wasn't hacking the security system, I told you. I was lying. I'm trying to open up the system so that Mother has access. Like we originally planned. I didn't think you'd be able to."

Sylvie grit her teeth,

"I've opened up the pathway but there's still an AI blocking the way to the main port." she started to sob, "I've failed Ava. Why did you come down here?" her sob slowly turned into a frown, "now get out of here! This place is close to being completely submerged. Let me do this!"

"Like hell I will!" Ava exclaimed, "get up! You're coming with us!"

"No, if we don't give Mother access, everything will be over. Every single Serv, every single Evo, the legacy of the human race, it'll all be over. Mankind will truly be extinct."

Intelligent life in the universe would be gone for good.

"Guys, we're at three minutes," said Aphrodite, "I dunno if we'll be able to make it out anyway," she slouched, "sorry. Sylvie, why did you lie to me?"

"I had to." muttered Sylvie, "I will."

But she couldn't, it was clear that her body was starting to give in, the infinity engine was glowing in her chest and her body looked like it was starting to deteriorate. There was no way she'd complete the hack

Ava needed to think of a way out of the situation. He needed to come up with a solution. Only three minutes.

What could he do?

Wait.

"You said you opened up the pathways? You've already hacked your way into the system?" asked Ava,

"Yes..." Sylvie replied,

"Then I'll join you, we'll do this together. We can complete the hack together Sylvie! We'll stop the security system and open the network so that Mother can access it! The copy AI from Aphrodite knows this programming language so I can use that as my carrier!"

"What?"

"I'll hack into you, and then go through the same pathway you did. We'll reach the end point together and complete it. That should work."

There was no reason why it wouldn't.

"D-do you guys have time to do that?" asked Aphrodite,

"It's fine, time moves differently in there anyway. It shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes but... you should go. Take the Major and go to the roof of the building. By the time you get there, the defense system should be down and we'll be able to take one of the ships there."

"But-"

"Go! Now!" Ava shouted with a vigour neither Aphrodite nor Sylvie had seen before.

"R-right!" Aphrodite ran to the teleporter, and then looked back at the two. Her eyes were looked sadder than they'd ever been before, she sniffed and wiped her eyes, "I'll see you up there."

And with that, she disappeared.

Ava took a deep breath. What a situation, an emotional rollercoaster and the job hadn't even started yet. He didn't want this to be the last time he saw Sylvie, the last time he saw Aphrodite. Did he care about the Servs? About mankind? No, he needed to stop that defense system, he needed to save the two who were dearest to him. Completing the hack was the only chance he had.

He knelt next to Sylvie and held her hand. Sylvie's grip was weak, she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Sylvie, I'm going to enter now, ok?" he muttered,

"A..va..." her eyes were closed, and she could barely get a single word out.

Ava held her hand tight and then leaned in forward, with his other hand he gently held the back of her neck and he pulled her towards him. Their foreheads touched and then the hack began.