We are called « the survivors »

II

Anna felt good. She felt still, calm and relaxed. She was only sixteen years old, yet she had lived such horrible things. She didn't want to open her eyes, she liked laying there, for once since three months, she felt safe. She thought of everything she did since the invasion and realised that she was lucky, very lucky.
~
Ryan looked at Anna. She was sleeping and seemed so relaxed. He looked at her long red hair resting on her sides, then at her face, he examined her freckles going from her cheeks to her nose. He thought about how they met when they were little, how he had helped her after the death of her parents. He had looked after her all these years, had given her food, a place to stay and an education. Moreover, it is how they had met Emma, at school. For nearly ten years they had known each other very well and were inseparable. He was scared, scared to lose her, scared of what might happen next. They had went through so much already and yet weren't at half of their lives. Slowly, Anna opened her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Asked Ryan concerned
Anna tried to straighten herself and looked around her then turned toward Ryan with a painful look:
"What happened?" She said, anxious.
"Don't you remember?"
Anna shook her head:
"No"
"That's weird.... Illusioners usually remember everything... I'll get Emma. Stay here." Illusioner was the term used to designate people who had been illusioned by illusionists. Ryan stood up and went out of the room. He didn't understand how this was possible. Illusions weren't normally that bad and were only caused by robots illusionists that had a limited power. He then thought about when Emma and himself had discovered Anna after her scream. They had never seen who had done this to
her. It could have been anybody even someone else... maybe another survivor! Troubled by this idea, he went to find Emma who was with Ailana.
~
"What is it" Emma asked.
"I think there might be other human survivors." He announced proudly.
"What are you talking about?" Ailana said "Searching for other human beings is the first thing we did and we didn't find anyone."
"I know, I know but Anna is awake and doesn't feel as good as the others felt once they had an illusion. She doesn't remember anything."
"I have to see her" said Emma in a sudden hurry.
She left the room to check on Anna in the other chamber.
"Ryan, listen to me. There is no other living human being than us on this planet. We have already searched a huge perimeter and haven't found anyone." Said Ailana clearly.
"But Ailana, that means either that robots have evolved which I doubt very much as electricity is rare, or that there is another living creature, human or not with new weapons that could help us!"
"Ryan, I will not deploy another searching group. We lost too many important people and it is much too dangerous. End of story."
Ailana turned back to rejoin Emma who was in Anna's room.
Ryan stayed there. He thought about the possibility there was that another tribe or person was out there. Maybe people he knew, maybe even his parents. Everybody thought their parents either were on the spaceship or dead. But he didn't want to think that his were traitors, leaving immediately without even thinking about all other people that could have survived if they had been in the spaceship.
"What are you thinking about?" Shanna asked nicely.
"Nothing" he said briefly.
He had to speak to Anna, to make her remember the creature that did that to her. He headed to her room where Ailana and Emma were talking.
"She is a lot better, but it is true that we never had that kind of illusions before. We need to find out where they came from." Emma explained to Ailana.
"I already told Ryan that I will not let anybody go searching the cause of this phenomenon. It is putting to many lives in danger. Plus, illusions are only a way to distract us during battles. They usually don't cause us any harm."
"We can see that you've never had them!" Said Anna angrily.
Ryan benefited from this moment to enter the conversation:

"Anna we need you to tell us exactly what you can recall, and try as hard as possible to remember precisely who did that to you"
All heads turned towards him. Ailana sighed annoyed:
"Ryan you don't have to be involved into this".
"Of course I have to! I know Anna since forever and I am the one with Emma who brought her here." Replied Ryan indignant.
"Ailana, Ryan is right, we have to do something, illusions are a weapon used against us and they seem to be getting stronger. We can't just sit and wait for the next victim. I know you still think about Azoïc but this was a long time ago." Added Emma trying to persuade her.
"THIS IS NOT ABOUT AZOÏC!" Yelled Ailana exasperated.
She left the room with a heavy footed walk. The teenagers could see a lot of pain in her eyes. Azoïc was Ailana's boyfriend and friend since forever. He was the guide of human warriors but had died in a search for survivors' mission. That death had changed the lives of all the survivors as Azoïc was always the most courageous and optimistic one. He always had something to say that would make you feel better or make you stronger. But nobody knew really what happened to him, he was considered dead because he never came back but the last persons to have see him had been badly hurt and had only said "Azoic kidnapped" before dying. Of course, right after, Ailana had done everything in her power to try and bring him back, but she had never seen him again. She had even discovered the robots' base to get him but seeing all the victims due to the battle, she had stopped looking, staying everyday desperate and lost. Now, it had been nearly eight months that they only went out for food or vital needs.
Ryan didn't understand that. They had to get out, to find out what or who caused the illusions and help anyone that could still be outside.
"I have to see J" Anna said standing up.
"You are not moving, you need to rest." Ryan said worried.
"It's fine Ryan don't worry she is okay" Emma reassured him.
Anna smiled and went out of the room. She climbed up the ladder leading to the laboratory. J was always there, experimenting new things, making bombs for the battles, copying food supplements for old people or lots of other innovative things. Anna always assisted him in his experiments but she was especially in charge of the base's electricity and radio making. Her biggest achievement was the walkie-talkie that was used for the missions and to contact each other.
"Hey you're up ! how are you feeling?" J said enthusiastic.