"Loved then Lost" - Reboot.Exe - S2 Chapter 19

## Loved then Lost

Jenn

"Loved then Lost" is the nineteenth episode of the second season in Reboot.exe following the Holiday Hiatus. It was released on 10 February 2023 and is narrated by Dave.

## Episode Synopsis

A few hours after Incongruent doors shut, members of the gang started retiring for the night, Seb being the first. A few stay up and watch a news broadcast of three individuals dead in “No Man’s Land.” There was evidence of a fourth victim, but their body has not been located. Air-drone footage shows arcs of blood spraying from the individuals. Not much later, the heavy stomping footsteps of Incongruent return, cradling the corpse of Pr0 back into his workshop. High tech tools are heard from the inside of his workshop, removing cybernetics and mechanics from Pr0’s body, before pushing the table into an incinerator. After the body is cremated, the remains are placed in a nice box.

An attached letter reads: “Peter is now dead but he died willingly and peacefully. Perhaps after all these years you were past grieving, but I hope that there may be some peace. Some closure from learning what happened to your son. Your son was taken and thrust into darkness. A darkness and cruelty so complete so all encompassing that he didn't stand a chance of surviving. But he did because a friend found him and brought him hope. A friend that taught him that with hope, he could survive anything. As a young adult, Peter escaped his captors but in the few years he was free; he hid and was ruled by his fears and faults. But again he was found and saved. New friends even in the dark found your son and saved him from the darkness, from himself. Peter never gave up he survived and he fought and he cared till the day he died and in the end he even found a few people he could all call family. He gave himself up as an act of sacrifice and hope to save the friends that saved him. Even though Peter is no more he wanted you to know that he found joy even in the darkness, because he found friends, family and a purpose. Much love: an associate of your son” Incongruent slides the box into a locker and pats it, keeping it safe for another day.

The next morning, Possum is nudged awake in preparations of turning on the machine for the first time since it has been repaired. Eve establishes a connection with the mysterious caller to fulfill her promise to let them see. Incongruent flips the machine on, and an amazing hologram of a woman in her 30s appears. She looks confused and concerned before she spots Possum. Her face softens and she reaches out to him, calling him “Lucas.” Possum quickly slides off his yellow puffer jacket as a thank you to Eve, and returns to being cradled by the hologram. The mysterious caller says that he wants to pull apart the machine and discover how and why it works, but they won’t. They can’t pull apart a family. They then ask Eve where is the line between machine and man.

They talk for a while more, before Eve brings up the question of meeting up, as she wants to form a friendship with the caller. They say that that would be complicated, as their desires are breaking programming, not developing friends. They then say that while he has only wanted answers out of Eve, the ones she has given them have been lukewarm at best. Eve begins talking about what she learned on her journey, saying that she still isn’t certain of some things, but that bringing Possum’s mother back to him was the start of something. The caller tells her that she cant go through life avoiding commitment. Eve has enough, and hangs up.

The scene cuts to Oscar at his high rise, enjoying a cigar and brandy after dinner with Seb. Oscar turns, and tells him that the little zygote is forming well, and that they were lucky to have gotten a blood sample of Pr0 when he came to stay a long time ago. They talk about possibly giving him Peter a bit more usefulness as he grows and comes out a more stable adult.

A few weeks pass, Xiang has forgiven Seb, training is had, and time passes.

One day, a blonde woman with several cybernetics walks down into the bar, where Seb instantly points a gun between her eyes. She swiftly avoids the threat and begins explaining to Seb that she found this place because of Pr0, and that she wants Seb’s help to continue Pr0’s life goals, to take down the circle. Seb can’t get over the fact that Riley was so violent, and is one of the reasons their Pr0 is gone. He completely refuses her offers and shows no interests in working with her. Riley leaves the bar, shocked that Seb didn’t want to help, but leaves him with “If you ever want to find out where your fiancé is, the information is closer than you think.” She wrote down an address on a piece of paper, but after that conversation, she is out of sight completely.

-YellHeahTris

## TL;DR

* A news broadcast shows three individuals dead in “No Man’s Land.” There was evidence of a fourth victim, but their body has not been located. Not much later, the heavy stomping footsteps of Incongruent return, cradling the corpse of Pr0 back into his workshop.
* The next morning, Possum is nudged awake in preparations of turning on the machine for the first time since it has been repaired. Eve establishes a connection with the mysterious caller to fulfill her promise to let them see. Incongruent flips the machine on, and an amazing hologram of a woman in her 30s appears. Her face softens and she reaches out to Possum, calling him “Lucas.” Possum quickly slides off his yellow puffer jacket as a thank you to Eve, and returns to being cradled by the hologram.
* Eve and the mysterious caller talk for a while. The caller said they have only wanted answers out of Eve, the ones she has given them have been lukewarm at best and that she cant go through life avoiding commitment. Eve has enough and hangs up.
* The scene cuts to Oscar at his high rise. He turns, and tells Seb that the little zygote is forming well, and that they were lucky to have gotten a blood sample of Pr0 when he came to stay a long time ago. They talk about possibly giving him Peter a bit more usefulness as he grows and comes out a more stable adult.
* A few weeks pass, Xiang has forgiven Seb, training is had, and time passes.
* One day, a blonde woman with several cybernetics walks down into the bar. Riley begins explaining to Seb that she found this place because of Pr0, and that she wants Seb’s help to continue Pr0’s life goals, to take down the circle. Seb completely refuses her offers and shows no interests in working with her.

YHT