Chapter 11: Signals in the Dark

The cool evening air prickled against Berry’s skin as he adjusted his grip on his bag. The faint hum of automated drones flying overhead mixed with the distant sounds of the city—a constant reminder of how interconnected everything was. The memory of the glowing server bank and the modified KN-9s still lingered in his mind, an ominous echo of the fight they had barely won.

Rusty trotted beside him, his mismatched legs clinking softly on the pavement. “Status check: emotional state elevated. Suggestion: engage in calming dialogue.”

Berry gave a half-smile. “You mean talk about my feelings?”

Rusty tilted his head. “Correct. Verbal expression can alleviate stress.”

Berry chuckled despite himself. “Thanks, Rusty, but I’m good. Just thinking about what’s next.”

Lyla caught up to him, her KN-9 Bolt walking gracefully by her side. “You okay?” she asked, her tone gentle.

“Yeah,” Berry said. “Just… trying to figure out what we’re up against.”

“Whoever’s behind this has resources,” Lyla said, her voice firm. “That setup in the factory wasn’t something you throw together on a whim. They’ve been planning this for a long time.”

Berry nodded, his gaze distant. “And now they know we’re onto them.”

The next morning, Crescent High was abuzz with the usual chatter of students, but Berry felt out of place. The memory of the factory and the hostile KN-9s gnawed at him, making the normalcy of the school day feel surreal.

Tim joined him at their usual table in the cafeteria, dropping his tray with a dramatic thud. “Alright, spill. You’ve got that ‘I’m thinking too hard about something’ look.”

Berry glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in. “Lyla traced the signal from the factory. Whoever’s behind this has another base.”

Tim raised an eyebrow. “Another one? Great. Let me guess—you’re planning to go there.”

Berry hesitated. “It’s not like we have a choice. If we don’t stop this now, it’s only going to get worse.”

Tim shook his head. “You’re really diving into the deep end here, man. You sure you’re ready for this?”

“Not really,” Berry admitted. “But I can’t just walk away.”

Tim sighed, shoving a fry into his mouth. “Guess I’ll have to tag along again. Someone’s gotta keep you out of trouble.”

Berry smiled faintly. “Thanks, Tim.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Tim said. “This hacker sounds like bad news.”

By late afternoon, Berry, Lyla, and Tim gathered in the tech lab, their holographic map glowing brightly on the wall. The signal Lyla had traced from the factory pointed to a nondescript building on the edge of the city—a storage facility that, on the surface, looked abandoned.

“This is the place,” Lyla said, pointing to the marker. “The signal’s strong, but it’s encrypted. Whoever’s in there doesn’t want to be found.”

Rusty’s glowing eyes narrowed. “Encryption suggests advanced security measures. Infiltration will require careful planning.”

Tim crossed his arms. “Or we could just not go. You know, avoid getting attacked by more killer robots.”

Lyla shot him a look. “If we don’t go, more KN-9s could be turned into weapons. Do you want that on your conscience?”

Tim raised his hands defensively. “Alright, alright. But if I get zapped, I’m blaming you.”

Berry stepped forward, his expression firm. “We’re not letting this go. If they’re making more of those attack bots, we have to stop them.”

Lyla nodded. “Then we need to be ready.”

The storage facility was a hulking, concrete structure surrounded by automated patrol drones. Berry crouched behind a stack of crates with Rusty, his heart pounding as he watched the drones sweep the area with their glowing lights.

“Surveillance drones identified,” Rusty said. “Evasion is possible with calculated timing.”

“Great,” Berry muttered. “Just tell me when.”

Lyla and Tim crouched beside him, Bolt scanning the area with sharp precision. “There’s a blind spot near the side entrance,” Lyla said. “If we time it right, we can slip through.”

Berry nodded, his hands sweating as they waited for the drones to pass. When Rusty gave the signal, they darted across the open ground, slipping into the shadows by the side door.

Inside, the air was cold and stale, the faint hum of machinery vibrating through the floor. The storage facility was divided into rows of towering shelves, each packed with crates stamped with corporate logos Berry didn’t recognize.

“This place feels wrong,” Tim whispered, his voice echoing faintly.

Berry nodded, his stomach twisting. “Stay alert.”

Rusty’s tail twitched, his glowing eyes scanning the area. “Power source detected. Location: central chamber.”

“Let’s move,” Berry said, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him.

The central chamber was massive, dominated by a network of servers similar to the ones they had found in the factory. Cables snaked across the floor, connecting the servers to a series of large crates. Berry’s eyes widened as he saw what was inside the crates—rows of KN-9 units, their eyes dark and lifeless.

“They’re building more,” Lyla whispered, her voice filled with dread.

Berry clenched his fists. “We have to stop this.”

Rusty approached the servers, his glowing eyes flickering as he analyzed the system. “Unauthorized access protocols detected. Disabling security measures.”

Tim stood watch by the door, his voice tense. “Uh, guys? We might have company.”

Berry turned sharply as a low, mechanical growl echoed through the chamber. More modified KN-9s emerged from the shadows, their glowing red eyes fixed on the group.

“Hostile units approaching,” Rusty said. “Engage defensive protocols.”

Lyla’s voice was sharp. “Bolt, protect the servers!”

Berry grabbed a metal rod from the floor, his hands shaking as the first KN-9 lunged at him. Rusty intercepted it, the two robots colliding with a shower of sparks.

“Rusty, can you disable them?” Berry shouted.

“Attempting override,” Rusty replied, his voice steady despite the chaos. “Cover required.”

Berry swung the rod at another attacker, his heart racing. Lyla worked frantically at the terminal, her fingers flying across the interface as she tried to shut down the production line.

“I need more time!” Lyla shouted.

“Time isn’t something we’ve got!” Tim called, dodging a lunge from one of the robots.

Rusty’s eyes glowed brighter as he transmitted the override command. One by one, the hostile KN-9s froze, their systems deactivating.

“Override successful,” Rusty announced.

Lyla let out a breath of relief. “I’ve shut down the production line, but this isn’t the main server. Whoever’s behind this isn’t here.”

Berry’s stomach sank. “Then we’re still one step behind.”

Rusty’s voice cut through the silence. “Data logs retrieved. Origin of command structure identified.”

Berry exchanged a glance with Lyla, his resolve hardening. “Then let’s finish this.”