Chapter 10: Preparation is critical

Berry adjusted the strap on his bag nervously as he stood in the dimly lit alley behind Crescent High. The faint glow of Rusty’s eyes illuminated the cracked pavement beneath them. Beside him, Lyla zipped up her jacket, her KN-9 Bolt sitting obediently at her feet. The industrial complex in Sector 7 loomed in their minds, a specter of danger and uncertainty.

“You really think this is a good idea?” Lyla asked, her voice quiet but steady.

“No,” Berry admitted. “But it’s the only one we’ve got.”

Rusty’s tail twitched, his glowing eyes scanning the area. “Preparation is critical. All systems functional. Threat mitigation protocols enabled.”

Bolt, pristine as always, added, “Unit Bolt ready for deployment. Proceed with caution.”

Berry smiled faintly at the contrast between the two robots—Bolt, sleek and polished, and Rusty, a hodgepodge of salvaged parts. Yet, despite their differences, both carried the same quiet determination.

Tim’s voice interrupted the moment. “So, what’s the plan? You know, besides walking into a sketchy abandoned factory where a KN-9 hacker is probably waiting to zap us with some cyber weapon?”

Berry shot him a look. “No one’s forcing you to come, Tim.”

Tim grinned, unbothered. “Hey, someone’s gotta make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”

Lyla smirked. “You’re awfully confident for someone who doesn’t even know how to bypass a basic firewall.”

“Ouch,” Tim said, clutching his chest in mock offense. “Remind me why I’m friends with you nerds again?”

Berry shook his head. “Alright, let’s get moving. The longer we wait, the more time they have to cover their tracks.”

The industrial complex in Sector 7 was a relic of the city’s past, a sprawling maze of crumbling factories and rusted machinery. Automated cleaning bots patrolled the streets, their flickering lights casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air smelled of metal and oil, and the distant hum of drones provided a constant background noise.

Rusty led the way, his glowing eyes scanning for signs of movement. “Thermal signatures detected within a 200-meter radius. Multiple entities present.”

Berry’s stomach tightened. “That’s… not exactly comforting.”

“Entities may include non-hostile automatons or wildlife,” Rusty clarified. “Assessment remains inconclusive.”

Lyla knelt by one of the walls, her eyes narrowing as she examined a faint mark etched into the metal. “Look at this,” she said, gesturing for Berry to join her.

He crouched beside her, studying the mark. It was a series of intersecting lines, almost like a crude map. “What is it?”

“Trail markers,” Lyla said. “Whoever’s been here left these to guide themselves—or someone else.”

Tim squinted at the symbol. “So we’re not the only ones who’ve been poking around. That’s comforting.”

Rusty wagged his tail. “Markers likely indicate an entry point. Suggestion: follow.”

Berry nodded, his heart pounding as they pressed forward.

The trail led them to a massive, rusted doorway partially concealed by a collapsed wall. Lyla examined the locking mechanism, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“It’s biometric,” she said. “But it’s old. I might be able to bypass it.”

“Old, huh?” Tim said, leaning closer. “Guess this hacker isn’t as high-tech as we thought.”

“Or they don’t want to draw attention to themselves,” Lyla countered. She pulled a small device from her bag and connected it to the panel. Sparks flew as she worked, her fingers flying across the interface.

Berry glanced at Rusty. “How are we looking?”

Rusty’s eyes flickered. “No immediate threats detected. However, proximity alarms suggest increased likelihood of detection.”

“Great,” Berry muttered. “No pressure, Lyla.”

“Done,” she said, stepping back as the door hissed open.

The group exchanged a glance, and then, one by one, they stepped inside.

The interior of the factory was even more unsettling than the outside. Rows of rusted machinery loomed in the shadows, their shapes distorted by the dim light. The air was thick with the smell of oil and decay.

Rusty’s voice broke the silence. “Power source detected. Location: northwest quadrant.”

“Let’s move,” Berry said, keeping his voice low.

They weaved through the factory, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the layers of dust coating the floor. As they approached the northwest quadrant, a faint hum became audible—a steady pulse of energy that grew louder with each step.

Lyla’s eyes widened as they rounded a corner. “There.”

In the center of the room stood a towering server bank, its panels glowing with an eerie blue light. Cables snaked across the floor, connecting the servers to a row of terminals against the far wall. The entire setup pulsed like a living thing, its glow casting long shadows on the walls.

“This is it,” Berry said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Rusty approached the server bank cautiously, his glowing eyes scanning the equipment. “Unauthorized access protocols detected. Defensive measures active.”

“Defensive measures?” Tim asked, his voice rising slightly. “Like what?”

As if in response, a low, mechanical growl echoed through the room. Berry turned sharply, his heart racing as a pair of glowing red eyes emerged from the shadows.

“Hostile KN-9 units detected,” Rusty said, his tone urgent. “Engage defensive protocols.”

The first KN-9 lunged, its movements eerily fluid for a machine. Rusty intercepted it, his mismatched legs clanking as he held his ground. The two robots clashed, sparks flying as Rusty forced the attacker back.

“Bolt, assist!” Lyla commanded, and her KN-9 leapt into action, tackling a second attacker that had emerged from the shadows.

Berry grabbed Tim and pulled him behind a row of machinery. “Stay down!”

Tim’s voice wavered. “I thought this was just a hacker! Why do they have attack bots?!”

“I don’t know!” Berry shouted back, his mind racing.

Rusty’s voice cut through the chaos. “Hostile units are modified KN-9s. Combat behavior appears externally controlled.”

Berry’s blood ran cold. Whoever was behind this wasn’t just tampering with KN-9s—they were turning them into weapons.

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

Rusty dodged another lunge, his tail clanking against the floor. “Attempting override. Cover required.”

Lyla tossed a wrench to Berry. “Keep them busy! I’ll see if I can access the main server.”

Berry gripped the wrench tightly, his hands shaking. As one of the hostile KN-9s charged, he swung with all his strength, the metal connecting with a sickening clang.

Rusty seized the opportunity, his glowing eyes brightening as he transmitted an override command. The hostile KN-9 froze mid-movement, its eyes dimming.

“Override successful,” Rusty announced.

Lyla’s voice rang out from the terminal. “I’m in! Shutting down their control system now.”

The remaining hostile KN-9s collapsed to the floor, their systems deactivating in unison. The room fell silent except for the faint hum of the server bank.

Berry collapsed against a wall, his chest heaving. “That was… intense.”

Tim peeked out from behind the machinery. “You think?”

Lyla turned from the terminal, her expression grim. “This isn’t over. Whoever set this up… they’re not here. But I’ve got their signal. We can track them.”

Berry nodded, his resolve hardening. “Then let’s finish this.”

Rusty wagged his tail, his voice steady. “Teamwork remains optimal. Success probability increasing.”