Chapter 16: Echo’s Place in Green Arbor.

As the days passed, Echo became a fixture in Green Arbor’s daily life. Children visited him every morning, eager for his lessons, which spanned everything from pre-Cataclysm history to science. For many, it was their first glimpse into the world that existed before everything fell apart. Lucas spent hours fine-tuning Echo’s setup, ensuring the AI had what it needed to continue teaching and adapting. Ava, while interested in Echo’s integration, kept her distance, trusting Lucas and the others to take the lead in bringing him into the community.

One crisp evening, as the last traces of daylight faded, Ava, Talon, and Lucas gathered in their shared cabin. The room was warm from the crackling fire in the hearth, its glow softening the rough edges of the worn furniture. The smell of wood smoke and the faint tang of whiskey lingered in the air. Talon, as usual, was fussing with the fire, adding another log and stirring the embers with practiced ease.

“You’re going to smother it if you keep poking,” Ava teased from her chair, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. She cradled a drink in her hands, her boots propped up on the edge of the table.

Talon shot her a grin, straightening up with a stretch. “I’d rather smother it than let it die out. Besides, it gives me something to do while Lucas does his ‘serious talking.’” He gestured at Lucas with his drink, winking playfully.

Lucas rolled his eyes, settling into the worn armchair opposite Ava. He leaned back, swirling the amber liquid in his glass before taking a sip. “You’ll thank me when this ‘serious talking’ keeps us alive,” he quipped, though the faint tension in his shoulders betrayed his lingering thoughts.

Ava eyed him knowingly, her tone light but curious. “Alright, bookworm. What’s on your mind? Don’t tell me you’ve been sitting here thinking about Echo all day.”

Lucas chuckled, setting his glass on the table. “Not all day. Just most of it.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “He’s doing well. Better than I expected, honestly. The kids adore him, and he’s already teaching them things I never could. But there’s still so much we don’t understand about him.”

Talon, now leaning against the mantle, chimed in. “So what’s the verdict? Is he fitting in? Or do we have to keep a closer eye on him?”

Lucas nodded slowly. “He’s fitting in. He wants to help, and he’s doing it. But… he’s not just a machine, you know? There’s something more to him. He’s aware in ways that don’t make sense for pre-Cataclysm tech. And he’s still adjusting to being outside that facility. He says it feels like he’s had his arms and legs cut off. The disconnect did something to him.”

Ava frowned, her gaze flickering to the fire. “He admitted that?”

“Not in those exact words,” Lucas replied, picking up his drink again. “But yeah, he’s… vulnerable in a way I didn’t expect. He’s not a threat, though. At least, not intentionally.”

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Talon raised an eyebrow, swirling the last of his whiskey. “Not intentionally? That’s not exactly reassuring, Lucas.”

Lucas shrugged, his tone thoughtful. “Look, Echo’s emotions—they feel real. He’s desperate to be part of something, to have a purpose. But even if he were lying to us, it’s not like he’s invincible. He’s just hardware and code. If he turned on us, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. It’s up to us to make the right call.”

Ava leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. “But it’s not just about him, is it? Echo’s here now, and people will notice eventually. Factions out there hunt for old tech. The Reclaimers, Raiders, even the Syndicates—they all want what they don’t have. If word gets out, Green Arbor could become a target.”

Talon straightened, his relaxed posture vanishing as her words sank in. “You think we should’ve left him in the ruins?”

Ava sighed, brushing a hand through her hair. “I don’t know. Maybe. It’s not just about us anymore. Echo’s presence changes things. If someone finds out we have him, it could paint a giant target on our backs.”

Talon grabbed the bottle from the table, pouring a fresh drink for himself and topping off Ava’s glass without asking. “Alright, so what’s the plan, Blondie? Lock him away? Pretend he doesn’t exist?”

“No,” Ava said firmly, accepting the drink with a small nod of thanks. “But we need to be smart. We can’t ignore the risks. And we can’t pretend we know everything about Echo just because he says he’s on our side.”

Lucas leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. “You’re not wrong, Ava. There’s a lot we don’t know about him. He’s lost parts of his memory—his core data—and he’s admitted he’s not the same as he was. But he’s adapting. He’s trying.”

Talon, sitting now, rested his elbows on the table, his fingers idly tapping the rim of his glass. “So let’s say someone comes sniffing around. What then? Do we fight? Hide Echo? Hand him over?”

Lucas frowned, the weight of the question clear in his expression. “I don’t think we’d ever hand him over. Echo’s not just some piece of tech—we’d be handing over someone we’ve promised to protect.”

Ava’s lips pressed into a thin line as she stared into her glass. “And if factions come for him? If we have to fight to keep him safe?”

Talon’s grin returned, though it carried a sharper edge. “Then we do what we always do. We fight.”

Ava rolled her eyes, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. “Always the optimist.”

“Someone has to be,” Talon replied with a wink, raising his glass in mock cheer.

The tension in the room eased slightly as the fire crackled softly in the background. Lucas sat forward again, his tone more earnest. “It’s not just about fighting. Echo’s more than just a relic from the past. He could help us prepare in ways we haven’t even thought of yet. He’s not just knowledge—he’s strategy, innovation. If we’re smart, we can keep Green Arbor safe and give Echo the second chance he deserves.”

Ava glanced between Lucas and Talon, the weight of leadership pressing heavily on her shoulders. “Alright,” she said finally. “We stick together. We learn from him, protect him, and make sure no one out there even whispers his name. No mistakes.”

Talon clinked his glass against hers, his grin widening. “No mistakes. I like the sound of that.”

The conversation drifted into lighter topics as the fire burned lower, the camaraderie between them a steady constant despite the weight of their responsibilities. Echo’s presence had brought something new to Green Arbor—hope, knowledge, and a connection to a lost world. But it had also brought uncertainty, the kind that couldn’t be ignored.

And somewhere in the depths of his digital consciousness, Echo wondered if he could truly be part of this strange, beautiful new world—or if his very existence would one day bring it to ruin.