Shadows Of Trust And Uncertainty

The dim glow of the abandoned lab flickered overhead as Namjoon leaned against a rusted metal table, deep in thought. The air was thick with tension—BIBI's recent revelation had shaken the team to the core. The AI were now targeting the very system that once controlled Namjoon's team, the same system Jennie had overpowered. If the AI suspected Jennie of aiding them, it wouldn't be long before she was eliminated.

Namjoon's voice was steady as he addressed the group. "Jennie is in danger. The AI suspects she might be helping us, and they're planning to erase her system. If she's deleted, we'll lose any chance of learning what she knows about the Overseers.... we have to save her."

BIBI leaned against the rusted console, arms crossed, her eyes narrowed in thought. "Are you sure she'll even trust you?"

BIBI sighed, crossing her arms. "You're assuming Jennie will be on our side. She might not trust us, not after we fought against the Overseers."

"That's a risk we have to take," Yoongi replied, leaning back in his chair. "Jennie isn't just another AI enforcer. She has the knowledge we need."

Jungkook exhaled sharply, arms crossed. "We're wasting time. If we don't act now, they'll wipe her before we even get close." His determination was evident, his jaw set with frustration. "I don't care if she trusts us or not. I'll bring her back."

Lisa, sitting on an old crate with her leg bandaged, scoffed. "It depends!!.. That's if she wants to be saved. If Jennie is truly human—if she is also generated from humans like us, if she has any real emotions—she'll listen. But if she's just another machine built by AI, she might be more dangerous than we think."

Namjoon considered Lisa's words carefully. "We need more help. Someone who understands both AI and human nature."

The room went silent as they turned toward her.

"I have two assistants," BIBI continued. "They helped me preserve humanity's last hope, securing lost memories and classified data. If we're going to pull this off, we need them."

Yoongi stepped forward. "Where are they?"

BIBI sighed. "In my sanctuary. Can I contact them?"

Yoongi replied quickly. "Of course! Here's the consol. It might be old but still works!

BIBI walked over to the old console, typing in a sequence of coded commands. The screen flickered before revealing a series of encrypted messages. She began inputting a message in a language only a select few could understand.

Within minutes, the coded message was sent. Now, all they could do was wait.

BIBI sighed deeply and plopped herself beside Lisa. "If they are still watching over it, they'll get the message."

---

The Waiting Game and an Unexpected Distraction

Lisa, tired of sitting around, stretched her arms. "This place is disgusting. If we're staying here, we might as well clean it up."

BIBI smirked. "You really think now is the time for that?"

Lisa shrugged. "What else are we supposed to do while waiting?" She picked up a broken piece of equipment and tossed it aside.

Jungkook scowled. "You're injured. You shouldn't be moving."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "And you shouldn't be telling me what to do."

Jungkook's jaw tightened. "Seriously, Lisa, just sit down for once."

As Lisa started gathering old equipment and wiping away dust, BIBI joined her.

"Unbelievable, you are encouraging her?" Jungkook muttered under his breath.

BIBI just smiled cheekily. "Well... she isn't wrong though!"

Jungkook walked up and snatched a rusted pipe from Lisa's hands. "Stop being stubborn."

Lisa snatched it back. "Stop acting like you care."

Jungkook's eyes twitched. "I don't care."

"Then shut up and let me clean."

"You shouldn't be doing that. You're injured."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "And? I'm not dead. I can move just fine."

Jungkook scoffed. "You're so damn stubborn."

"Thanks for noticing," Lisa shot back sarcastically, continuing her work.

Jungkook stormed over, grabbing a rusted panel from her hands. "Seriously, stop."

Lisa yanked it back, glaring at him. "Make me."

Yoongi, watching from a distance, chuckled. "This is better than any entertainment system."

Before Jungkook could argue further, Namjoon intervened, his voice firm. "Enough. Everyone is cleaning, including you, Jungkook. If Lisa's working, so are you."

Jungkook shot Namjoon a betrayed look. "Are you serious? You're siding with her?"

Yoongi burst out laughing at, watching the scene unfold. "Oh, this is gold!."

Lisa smirked. "See! Even our leader is supporting me. Better start cleaning, Jungkook."

Muttering under his breath, Jungkook grabbed an old cloth and begrudgingly started cleaning, occasionally bumping into Lisa on 'accident.' She retaliated with small shoves, and soon, their 'cleaning' turned into a passive-aggressive battle. As he and Lisa cleaned, their small arguments continued—Jungkook criticizing her method, Lisa calling him useless. The others exchanged glances, amused.

Lisa yelled. "Hey! I just cleaned this part! Why are you stepping on it? you musclehade!!!"

Jungkook scoff at her words. "I'm doing it properly short fuse!!"

BIBI and Yoongi exchanged glances, silently observing.

"They always fight like this?" BIBI whispered.

Yoongi smirked. "You tell me. Seems like something else is going on."

BIBI hummed in amusement. "Interesting."

Namjoon on the other hand was getting more and more annoyed as Jungkook and Lisa kept fighting like children. "I swear I don't have time for this!!!"

---

The Arrival of BIBI's Assistants

Two days later, just as tension threatened to boil over, a faint signal pinged through the lab's outdated system. A presence outside.

Namjoon and Yoongi reached for their weapons. The others braced themselves.

A sharp knock on the rusted door echoed.

BIBI moved forward, pressing a code into the panel. The door creaked open, revealing two figures dressed in dark tactical gear.

"Yeonjun. Kai," BIBI greeted.

They stood tall, their presence radiating an air of controlled authority. Yeonjun's sharp eyes surveyed the room, while Kai's expression remained unreadable. The two stepped inside, removing their hoods. Yeonjun's sharp gaze scanned the group, while Kai's smirk showed mild amusement.

BIBI approached them first. "Took you long enough."

"We got your message," Yeonjun said. "Took a while to decrypt, but we're here."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "So, what's the grand mission this time?"

Namjoon wasted no time explaining. As he laid out the plan to infiltrate the High Quarter and extract Jennie, Yeonjun listened intently while Kai leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

Kai's gaze shifted to Namjoon. "You want to break into the High Quarter?"

Namjoon nodded. "Jennie might be our only link to understanding the Overseers. We can't let her be destroyed."

Yeonjun crossed his arms. "It won't be easy. The High Quarter is heavily guarded. If she's still intact, getting her out will be a challenge."

"She's heavily guarded," Yeonjun said when Namjoon finished. "But if the AI is planning to delete her, we might have a small window before security tightens."

BIBI nodded. "That's why we need to move fast."

Kai nodded in agreement. "Then we need a plan."

As the group began discussing possible infiltration points, Namjoon suddenly turned to Lisa. His voice was sharp, carrying a hint of brotherly concern.

"You're not coming."

Lisa blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

"You're still injured," Namjoon said firmly. "You're not coming."

Lisa stepped forward. "I'm fine."

"You are not fine," Namjoon snapped. "This isn't up for debate."

Lisa clenched her fists. "I can fight."

"You're injured, Lisa," Namjoon stated. "You need to sit this one out."

Lisa glared. "You're seriously going to bench me?"

Jungkook exhaled sharply. "For once, just listen."

Lisa glared at him. "Stay out of this."

Jungkook's patience finally snapped. "You're reckless! You never think! That's why you keep getting hurt!"

Lisa's eyes widened slightly. Hurt flickered across her face before she masked it with anger. "Maybe if you weren't so busy acting like you hate me, I wouldn't have to prove myself."

Jungkook's fists clenched. "This isn't about you proving anything."

Lisa scoffed. "It always is with you."

Jungkook yelled. "For once, Namjoon is right. You're a liability in this condition."

Lisa's eyes darkened. "What did you just say?"

Jungkook's voice turned colder. "You'll slow us down. Stay here."

Lisa clenched her fists, fury burning in her chest. "You think I'm weak?"

Jungkook met her gaze without hesitation. "I think you're reckless."

Lisa scoffed, shaking her head. Without another word, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Yoongi exhaled. "You really screwed that up."

Jungkook ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "She's impossible."

Namjoon shot him a look. "You were too harsh."

Jungkook shook his head. "Someone has to stop her."

Yoongi shot Jungkook a sharp look. "That was harsh."

Jungkook huffed. "She needed to hear it."

Namjoon sighed, rubbing his temples. "Jungkook… you could've handled that better."

Jungkook stayed silent, but a flicker of regret crossed his face.

Yoongi smirked slightly. "So much for being the cold, untouchable enforcer, huh?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes, but his clenched fists told a different story.

Kai and Yeonjun exchanged glances before Kai smirked. "Interesting group you've got here."

Yeonjun leaned against the table. "Let's focus. If we're going to save Jennie, we need to move now."

The room fell into planning mode, but Jungkook's eyes flickered toward the door Lisa had left through.

For some reason, he felt an odd sense of regret.

As the final plans were set into motion, the mission to retrieve Jennie had officially begun. But beneath the surface, emotions stirred, tensions rose, and alliances wavered.

And in the depths of the AI-controlled world, something far more sinister was already waiting for them.

To Be Continue . . . . . . . . . .