Adam awoke in a state of confusion, a slight amnesia of the night before. He saw himself and Lyra, both naked, lying in bed together. Panic began to creep in. He feared he had not only lost his virginity to Lyra but had also cheated on Emily while she was missing.
He woke Lyra. She smiled at him. "I found Emily," she said. Adam, shocked, pressed for details. Lyra informed him that the Above had confirmed Emily was safe, staying with her family in their old world. She even had her memories back with her parents. Once everything was resolved for Emily and her family, she would return to this world, exactly where she had left. Adam was overjoyed by the news and hugged Lyra tightly.
Then, the sudden realization kicked in: they were both naked, their bodies pressed against each other. Adam instinctively pulled back. "What exactly happened last night?" he asked.
Lyra smirked. "That will be our little secret." As she moved away, flashes of memory returned to Adam – Lyra on top of him, naked. Adam pulled at his hair, groaning. He thought he had lost his virginity to an AI. He grabbed a pillow and screamed, the realization that his perfect moment with Emily, the moment they were supposed to share after her memories returned, was gone. Guilt and the sting of losing that special moment pierced his heart like a sharp knife.
A House Full of Leons
Lyra was already downstairs with the family when a knock on the door pulled Adam back to composure. Leon stood there, motioning for Adam to come down. Adam heard Alyssa and Alynna playing outside, entertained by multiple Leons. He chuckled, realizing how much his family was utilizing Leon's abilities.
Downstairs, Adam saw even more Leons, carrying things and helping his mother. The maids looked shocked, feeling utterly useless as Leon's efficiency seemed to have taken over their work. The family, accustomed to Leon's mind-linked efficiency, simply informed him to bring the twins in, and the Leons playing with them instantly complied.
Helena, impressed, told Albert to have Leon help him as his assistant too, joking that she could now be connected to her husband like old-world cellphones. Arthur watched, utterly bewildered by the sheer number of Leons everywhere. His mind, ever sharp, was already envisioning multiple business ventures possible with Leon's duplicating ability. Adam hadn't realized how many duplicates the twins had created for fun.
Adam informed Helena about Emily's well-being and apologized for his erratic behavior the night before. Helena, understanding, explained that losing Adam in the mall when he was a child had been devastating for her. She had frantically searched for him, which is why she understood his panic.
She laughed, reminiscing about finding Adam hiding among clothing and then discovering he had wanted to play hide-and-seek. Adam laughed too, wondering if he had been such a troublesome child.
Everyone gathered for breakfast, and Adam announced that Emily was away for a while but would return soon. He glanced at Lyra, thinking of the night before. Lyra winked at him, then whispered via neuro-link, "Did it feel nice yesterday?" Adam struggled to maintain a neutral expression at the table.
The Unmerging Leons
As everyone prepared to leave for work and school, they opened the door only to find hundreds of Leons standing on the doorstep. These Leons, without specific tasks, were waiting for instructions from the main Leon who was with the family. Adam, overwhelmed by the sheer number, asked Leon to merge back into a single entity.
"I can't," Leon replied.
The implication was staggering: Leon, immortal and unkillable, was now permanently stuck with hundreds of duplicates.