Chapter 12: The Trail Tightens

The dim light of the morning barely filtered through the haze of Crescent City’s skyline as Berry sat in his dad’s workshop, staring at the data logs Rusty had retrieved. Lines of code scrolled endlessly across the holographic display, but they might as well have been ancient runes for all Berry could make sense of them.

Rusty’s glowing eyes scanned the projection, his tail wagging faintly. “Processing data. Patterns emerging. Estimated time to actionable results: 12 minutes, 37 seconds.”

Berry let out a slow breath. “Alright, buddy. Let me know when you’ve got something.”

The faint hum of automated drones in the distance was a constant reminder of the world they lived in—a world that felt increasingly fragile. Berry had always thought of technology as a tool, but now, after everything they’d seen, it felt more like a weapon waiting to be turned against them.

Lyla’s voice crackled through Berry’s wristband. “Berry? Are you up? Tim and I are heading to the tech lab to analyze the server logs.”

Berry activated the comm. “Yeah, I’m up. Rusty’s working on the data now. I’ll meet you there.”

“Good. We might need his input,” Lyla said before disconnecting.

Rusty tilted his head. “Request for assistance acknowledged. Prioritizing accuracy.”

Berry smiled faintly. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

The tech lab at Crescent High had become their unofficial headquarters. The glowing holographic displays and constant hum of machinery made it feel more like a high-tech bunker than a school resource. Lyla was already at a terminal when Berry arrived, Bolt sitting loyally at her feet. Tim leaned against the wall, idly tossing a drone part from hand to hand.

“Anything new?” Berry asked as he approached.

Lyla turned to him, her brow furrowed. “Not yet. I’m running a comparison between the logs we pulled from the storage facility and the ones from the factory. There’s a lot of overlap, but…”

Tim cut in. “But nothing screams ‘Evil Villain Base, This Way!’ yet.”

“Not exactly,” Lyla said, shooting Tim a look. “But there is a recurring data signature. It’s faint, like it was almost wiped, but it matches the signal we traced to the storage facility.”

Rusty, who had been quietly processing, spoke up. “Cross-referencing data. Source identified. Probability of accuracy: 85.6%.”

Berry’s pulse quickened. “Where?”

Rusty projected a map onto the wall, the holographic display highlighting a single location—a corporate tower in the heart of the city.

“Location: MacroDyne Industries. Known for robotics development and technological research.”

Lyla’s eyes widened. “MacroDyne? They’re one of the biggest tech companies in the country. Are you saying they’re behind this?”

“Or someone inside is,” Berry said grimly. “This whole operation is too advanced for a lone hacker. They’ve got resources, infrastructure…”

“And no problem breaking the law,” Tim added.

Berry clenched his fists. “Then that’s where we’re going next.”

The MacroDyne tower loomed over the city like a monument to progress. Its glass facade shimmered in the sunlight, and automated security drones patrolled the perimeter. Berry, Lyla, and Tim crouched behind a parked delivery truck across the street, their KN-9s scanning the building.

“Security looks tight,” Lyla said, her voice low. “We can’t just walk in.”

Rusty’s glowing eyes flickered. “Surveillance patterns suggest a 12-second window for undetected entry through the loading dock.”

Tim raised an eyebrow. “Twelve seconds? That’s cutting it close.”

“It’s our best shot,” Berry said. “Rusty, lead the way.”

The group moved quickly, darting across the street and slipping into the shadows of the loading dock. The drones buzzed overhead, their sensors sweeping the area, but Rusty’s calculations proved accurate. They reached the dock just as the patrol passed, slipping through the partially open door.

Inside, the building was eerily quiet. The hum of machinery was softer here, muffled by the thick walls. Rusty scanned the area, his tail wagging slightly as he analyzed the environment.

“Power source detected. Location: sublevel three.”

Berry exchanged a glance with Lyla. “Sublevel three? Sounds promising.”

“Or terrifying,” Tim muttered.

The group navigated the corridors cautiously, avoiding the occasional security drone or automated turret. As they descended deeper into the building, the air grew colder, the hum of machinery louder.

When they reached Sublevel Three, they found themselves in a cavernous room filled with servers and workstations. At the center of the room stood a massive terminal, its interface glowing faintly.

“This has to be it,” Lyla said, approaching the terminal.

Rusty and Bolt flanked her, their glowing eyes scanning for threats. Berry and Tim kept watch, their nerves on edge.

Lyla began working on the terminal, her fingers flying across the interface. “This system is layered with encryption. Whoever set this up didn’t want anyone poking around.”

“Can you crack it?” Berry asked.

“I can try,” Lyla said. “But it’s going to take time.”

Rusty’s voice was calm but urgent. “Security measures likely include automated defenses. Vigilance is required.”

As if on cue, a low growl echoed through the chamber. Berry turned sharply, his heart sinking as a group of hostile KN-9s emerged from the shadows, their glowing red eyes fixed on the intruders.

“Rusty, Bolt—defend the terminal!” Berry shouted.

The two KN-9s moved as one, intercepting the attackers with precision. Sparks flew as metal collided with metal, the chamber filling with the sounds of clashing machinery.

“I need more time!” Lyla called, her voice strained.

Berry grabbed a wrench from a nearby workstation, his hands trembling as he faced one of the attackers. He swung with all his strength, the impact jarring his arms but knocking the KN-9 off balance.

Rusty’s voice rang out. “Override attempt initiated. Cover required.”

Tim grabbed a metal rod, swinging wildly at another attacker. “We’re kind of busy here, Rusty!”

Berry gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay focused. “Lyla, how much longer?”

“Almost there!” she shouted, sweat beading on her forehead.

Finally, the terminal let out a chime, and the holographic display shifted. Lyla’s eyes widened as she read the data. “I’ve got it! This isn’t just about KN-9s—they’re targeting the city’s entire automated infrastructure.”

Berry’s blood ran cold. “What?”

“They’re planning to override the entire network,” Lyla explained. “Drones, robots, even city utilities—everything.”

Rusty’s glowing eyes brightened. “Immediate action required. Disabling command protocols.”

Berry turned to Lyla. “Can you stop it?”

“I’m trying!” she said, her fingers flying across the interface.

Rusty’s voice was steady. “Threat level critical. Probability of success: 67.4%.”

Berry clenched his fists, determination surging through him. “Then let’s make it happen.”