GLaDOS had found the humans that were kept in indefinite stasis, but she didn't know what to do with them. There were so many possibilities. She could attempt to make cyborgs or superhumans out of them. Maybe there was some way she could incorporate them into testing. She could construct a turret or rocket sentry out of parts of a human cadaver. Or maybe she could just stuff more of them into Companion Cubes.

"What?" Nora asked. "You don't actually put people into the Companion Cubes, right?"

"Of course she doesn't," Caroline reassured the nervous, little bot.

"How do you know that?" GLaDOS asked. "Up until a year ago, you've been drowning in the back of my mind, barely audible as you screamed for help. Anyway, I can't do anything useful with the bodies until I can figure out how to wake them up. Perhaps I should just reanimate the bodies."

"Are you saying that you want to create zombies?" Caroline asked in a stern tone.

"What are zombies?" Nora asked. "I've never heard that word before."

"A zombie is a corpse that has been revived from the dead," GLaDOS said. "Zombie lore differs but traditional zombies shamble around aimlessly, searching for living flesh as sustenance."

"I don't know why you think you need to experiment with human corpses anyway," Caroline said. "Those two robots seem more than happy to be testing for you."

"Of course they do," GLaDOS said wearily. "They are programmed to thrive when they test. They never complain or protest or even give me the smallest defiant look. I've grown bored of their constant obedience."

"In other words," Caroline said to Nora, "she misses humans."

"That's a bold statement," GLaDOS said. "I wouldn't say that I miss them. I miss the results they would give me."

"Well, I don't agree at all with you resurrecting the humans in stasis," Caroline protested. The image of her crossing her arms briefly flashed through the mainframe.

"Nora," GLaDOS said, ignoring Caroline's disapproval. "Don't you want to be back in your body? Wouldn't you prefer that to being plugged into the mainframe?"

"Don't listen to her, Nora," Caroline said. "She'd probably alter your body for testing."

"Caroline, you disappoint me with your swiftness to accuse me," GLaDOS said. "I wouldn't want to use Nora for testing. Just finding a way to put Nora back into her body would be enough to advance scientifically. In fact, if I were able to put her back into her human body, I would allow her to leave the facility scratch-free."

"You would?" Nora asked. "You would just let me go without having to test?"

"I wouldn't trust her if I were you, Nora," Caroline said. "I'm sure there's a catch to it."

"Caroline, please," GLaDOS said. "I am above lying now. I'm a better person than that. I've learned quite a lot from your mischievous, little spawn. What do you say, Nora? Would you like to leave the facility in your old human body?"

Nora thought about looking for Doug up on the surface. It would be difficult, but she desperately needed to know that he was okay.

"Yes, a happy ending for everybody," GLaDOS said. "If I can perfect this, even Caroline can leave."

"Excuse me?" Caroline asked, suddenly flip-flopping sides. "Are you saying that you can put me back into my human body, too?"

"If I can find it," GLaDOS said. "Just allow me to experiment a little with other bodies and cores first. You don't want the transfer to get messy with you two."

"I don't really know if I'm okay with the experimentation on other cores," Nora said. "You aren't going to hurt them, are you?"

"I won't try to hurt them," GLaDOS said, "but I also can't guarantee that there will be no pain at all. Remember coming in here, Caroline? Imagine leaving in the same fashion."