It didn’t take long for Daisy and her new friend to walk to this old school diner that was only a few blocks away from the cemetery. It was everything Daisy had hoped it would be, as there was a long bar with stools, and several booths for privacy if clients desired it. While Daisy was tempted jump onto one of the stools, she and Jerome chose to take a booth and have a little peace to speak about what was on their minds alone. While the quiet hum of the chatter from the rest of the clients was comforting, the clinking of dishes and orders being called out didn’t hesitate to remind them both where they were. Despite being somewhere nice with a young man, Daisy still felt heavy with the emotions that lingered over the loss of Marcus. It weighed on both their hearts, and the cafe seemed like a refuge, a place to find solace amid the chaos.

Daisy took a sip of her coffee, the warmth soothing against the chill of sorrow that lingered in the air. She glanced at Jerome, who was absently stirring his own cup, his gaze distant.

"So, how are you holding up, Jerome?" Daisy asked, her voice gentle. She knew it was a stupid question but wanted to chit chat and break the silence.

Jerome looked up, as his eyes tired but grateful for the company.

"It's been tough, you know?” Jerome replied, “Dad was everything to me. Losing him like that, it still feels unreal. Like this is all a bad dream and I’m going to wake up and everything will be alright."

“I can imagine what that’s like,” Daisy nodded, understanding the pain that Jerome was grappling with. “I lost my father a while back, and Marcus was kind of like my substitute for a while. He even seemed like the idea and was a great mentor.”

“He always loved to adopt strays,” Jerome said, smiling at the thought. “That totally sounds like him. He also loved his work. Always told me it was a way to contribute to a safer world. But now...”

Daisy reached across the table, placing a comforting hand on Jerome's.

“I’m sorry it ended like that,” She said to him “If you ever need someone to talk to or if there's anything I can do, please just let me know.”

Jerome appreciated the gesture, his robotic arm catching Daisy's attention. “What happened to your arm, Jerome? I've always been curious.”

Jerome gave out a light chuckle, as the weight of grief momentarily lifted. “I was born this way: short an arm and behind the curve right from the beginning. I’ve had several different kinds of prosthetics over the years, this one is by far the best I’ve had yet.”

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Daisy's eyes widened with curiosity. “That looks incredible. The advancements in prosthetics are amazing, but it must be challenging.”

“Each one took some getting used to,” Jerome admitted, “But it's a part of me now. Dad always thought it made me stronger, both physically and mentally.”

Their conversation shifted to lighter topics, memories of Marcus that brought smiles and laughter amid the shared grief. As they delved into stories of Marcus's quirks and kindness, their food arrived and went quickly into their bellies as the place became a haven where they could momentarily escape the heavy reality outside its doors. After a moment of comfortable silence, Daisy broached a more challenging topic.

“Jerome,” Daisy started, “Do you know if they have any idea what might have caused the machine to attack? I mean, your dad was so experienced. It doesn't make sense.”

“I talked to the foreman, and the factory owners,” Jerome replied, “All of them are still unsure what happened in there that day. I don’t know if they’re really that clueless or they’re just scared that if they tell me the truth that I’ll sue their asses into bankruptcy.”

“Probably a bit of both I bet,” Daisy said, with a grin. “It just all seemed so surreal that day. We were just about to start on the new machine, and then it just started to activate.”

“That’s what I mean,” Jerome's expression grew serious, a cloud of uncertainty passing over his eyes. “They can’t try to blame you guys for it because you were just starting! You never had a chance to mess with it before it just blinked on.”

“That's what's been bothering me too,” Daisy admitted, “Your dad was meticulous, and he knew those machines inside out. There's no reason one should have malfunctioned like that.”

“If it wasn’t a malfunction or an accident,” Jerome continued, “Do you think it could have been something else that triggered it?"

“Or someone?” Daisy added.

Jerome sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Anything is possible at this point, Daisy. I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this. That we’re missing a vital clue.”

Daisy's mind whirred with possibilities. "Have there been any recent changes or updates to the machines? Anything that might have caused a glitch?"

“I don't think so, but we should look into it.” Jerome declared, “If there's something amiss, we need to find out. Dad wouldn't want his death to be in vain.”

“I’m game to look into this if you are,” Daisy said, as she wanted to do the right thing. “We could go back to the factory and inspect the scene if you want.”

“I thought the factory was back up and running again,” Jerome said, slightly confused.

“Most of it is,” Daisy confirmed, “But the section where the attacked is still sealed off while the investigation is ongoing. While I’m sure it’s under guard, we could still sneak in and look around and try to find some clues.”

“Worth a shot I suppose,” Jerome said, as the risk didn’t seem to rattle him that much. “When did you want to go?”

“Well, I bet the factory shut down early for the funeral,” Daisy surmised, “So it should be empty for the rest of the night. We could go right now if you wanted to.”

“So, not time like the present,” Jerome said, as the idea was growing onto him. “What the hell; let’s get down there and look into it.”