PROFESSOR SHAIN
The morality of the reproduction process is undeniable. What could be more moral than preserving one's memory in the most tangible way? At a time when many among us feel so lonely and alien, going through a lifetime without a partner, a person is given the opportunity to recruit for himself… himself. His duplicates will care for him in his old age, provide for him, protect him, and draw inspiration from his wisdom.
Suddenly, Professor Shain's picture is marked with yellow letters, "September 2045."
Tom catches a glimpse of Lara, witnessing a single tear of joy trickling down the corner of her eye. Overwhelmed, Tom hastily exits the room and finds himself in the meticulously maintained courtyard. Standing there, he waits for Lara, silently observing the aged gardener kneeling nearby among the bushes, preserving the garden—a task reminiscent of the eternal struggle of Sisyphus.
FLASH BACK
EXT. DAY. IN ONE OF THE DESERT VALLEYS
A young Tom patrols the desert, standing atop a cliff and scanning the skies. His attention is drawn to a multitude of birds of prey soaring in a particular area, prompting him to fix his gaze in that direction. Descending into one of the nearby valleys, he comes across the mangled corpses of Claudine's brother and aunt perched on a rock. The birds of prey have made them their feast. Adjacent to them lie the bodies of android warriors clad in brown jumpsuits, and even a solitary body donning an orange jumpsuit. Among them lie several spent bullet casings, while their rifles have been stripped from their possession. It is evident that a merciless and brutal battle took place here. A chill runs down Tom's spine as he witnesses the birds pecking at the fallen warriors' bodies. Approaching his deceased friends, the birds retreat a few meters, patiently awaiting his departure.
With his bare hands, Tom digs a deep pit in the desert soil, carefully placing the two bodies inside and covering them with as much sand as possible. Aware that predators may attempt to uncover the makeshift grave, he searches for large stones to secure it. Exhausted and defeated, he finally sits down and takes a drink from his water canteen.
The bodies of the android warriors remain as the birds' prey, swiftly resuming their feast once Tom has finished burying his comrades, having grown accustomed to his presence. Tom approaches the lifeless android warriors, shooing away the birds once again. He rummages through the corpses' belongings, retrieving a sharp knife, a lethal iron baton, a bow, and a garbage full of metal arrows. Contemplatively, he positions himself at the valley's summit, his aging shotgun resting on his shoulder. Casting a final gaze upon the battlefield, he sets off on his journey back to the mine.
EXT. DAY. AT THE HILLSIDE NEAR THE MINE ENTERANCE
Tom stands at the base of the mountain, his gaze ascending. To his horror, he discovers that the rusty bins guarding the mine entrance have been scattered and some even blown down the slope. A sense of impending doom fills his heart, urging him to hasten his steps up the hill.