Chapter 9: Threads Unraveling

The glow of Crescent High’s neon-lined halls cast long shadows as Berry walked toward the tech lab after school. His heart raced as he replayed the discovery from the previous day: a list of targeted KN-9s, including Shadow and others he didn’t recognize. Whoever was behind the tampering wasn’t just experimenting—they had a plan. The question was, what was it?

Rusty trotted beside him, his mismatched legs clanking softly on the tiled floor. “Current stress indicators: elevated. Recommendation: employ breathing techniques.”

Berry gave a faint smile. “I’ll be fine, Rusty. It’s just… a lot.”

“Acknowledged,” Rusty replied. “However, excessive stress reduces problem-solving efficiency.”

Berry couldn’t argue with that, though he doubted a few deep breaths would make the situation any less daunting.

The tech lab was empty except for Lyla, who sat hunched over a holo-terminal, her brow furrowed in concentration. Bolt, her pristine KN-9, sat beside her, its glowing eyes fixed on the scrolling data.

“Hey,” Berry said as he approached.

Lyla glanced up, her expression softening when she saw him. “Hey. I’ve been going through the logs we pulled from the server. You’re not going to believe this.”

Berry set his bag down and pulled up a chair. “Hit me.”

Lyla tapped a few keys, and a holographic projection of a city map appeared, dotted with glowing markers. “These are the locations tied to the targeted KN-9s. It’s not random—they’re all concentrated in specific neighborhoods.”

Berry frowned, leaning closer. “What’s special about those areas?”

“That’s the thing,” Lyla said. “They’re all low-income zones. Places where people are more likely to rely on older tech.”

Rusty’s glowing eyes flickered. “Analysis: targeted zones may indicate socioeconomic manipulation. Further investigation required.”

Berry’s stomach twisted. “So whoever’s doing this is targeting people who can’t afford to fix or replace their KN-9s?”

Lyla nodded grimly. “It looks that way. And if the tampering spreads, it could affect dozens—maybe hundreds—of units.”

Berry sat back, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. “This isn’t just some hacker messing around. They’re planning something big.”

The next morning, Berry found himself distracted during class, his mind racing with possibilities. What was the endgame? Was the tampering meant to destabilize the KN-9 network? Or was it part of some larger, more sinister agenda?

At lunch, Tim joined him at their usual table, his tray loaded with junk food. “Alright, spill. What’s got you looking like you haven’t slept in a week?”

Berry hesitated. He hadn’t told Tim the full extent of what they’d discovered. Part of him wanted to protect his friend from getting caught up in something potentially dangerous. But Tim had been with him since the beginning, and Berry knew he couldn’t keep this a secret.

“It’s the KN-9 tampering,” Berry said finally. “It’s not just Shadow. There’s a whole list of units being targeted.”

Tim raised an eyebrow. “Okay… that sounds bad. How bad are we talking?”

“Bad enough that we might need to get the authorities involved,” Berry admitted. “But we’re trying to figure out more before we do anything drastic.”

Tim whistled low. “Man, you really stepped in it this time. But hey, you’ve got Lyla and Rusty. That’s a solid team.”

Berry smiled faintly. “Yeah. It’s just… a lot.”

“Welcome to being the hero,” Tim said, grinning. “It’s not all fame and drone races, huh?”

Berry chuckled, though the weight on his chest didn’t lift. Tim’s confidence was reassuring, but the truth was, Berry felt anything but heroic.

That evening, Berry and Lyla worked late into the night in the tech lab. The map of targeted zones glowed on the wall, and Rusty parsed through lines of data while Bolt monitored the terminal.

“I think I found something,” Lyla said suddenly, her voice tinged with excitement. She pulled up a new log, the lines of code highlighted in red. “This isn’t just tampering—it’s a command protocol.”

Berry leaned closer. “What kind of commands?”

“Behavior overrides,” Lyla explained. “Whoever wrote this code can force the KN-9s to act against their programming. It’s not just aggression—they can make them do almost anything.”

Berry’s blood ran cold. “Anything? Like what?”

“Surveillance, sabotage… even self-destruction,” Lyla said quietly.

Rusty’s tail clanked against the floor. “Such commands pose significant risk. Immediate action is advised.”

Berry felt his throat tighten. The idea of someone weaponizing KN-9s was terrifying. These robots weren’t just pets—they were integrated into daily life. If they were turned against their owners…

“We have to stop this,” Berry said firmly. “But how?”

Lyla glanced at him, determination shining in her eyes. “We need to find the source. If we can trace the commands back to whoever wrote them, we can shut this down.”

Rusty’s eyes glowed brighter. “Initiating enhanced trace. Success probability: 73.2%.”

Berry placed a hand on Rusty’s back, his voice soft. “We’re counting on you, buddy.”

Hours passed as Rusty worked tirelessly to trace the commands. Berry and Lyla watched in tense silence, their nerves fraying with each passing minute.

Finally, Rusty’s voice broke the silence. “Trace complete. Origin identified.”

Berry’s heart leapt. “Where?”

Rusty projected a new map onto the wall, a single marker glowing in the heart of the city. “Location: industrial complex, Sector 7. Known for abandoned factories and minimal surveillance.”

Lyla frowned. “That’s a perfect spot for someone to operate under the radar.”

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

Rusty’s tail wagged faintly. “Recommendation: proceed with caution. Threat level: high.”

Lyla glanced at Berry, her expression serious. “Are you sure about this? It’s not going to be easy.”

Berry nodded, a steely determination settling over him. “If we don’t do something, no one will.”

As they packed up their equipment, Berry couldn’t help but feel a flicker of fear. They were heading into unknown territory, with no guarantee of what they’d find. But he wasn’t alone. Rusty, Lyla, and even Tim—they were with him.

And for the first time, Berry felt like he wasn’t just stumbling through life. He had a purpose. And he wasn’t going to back down.