Chapter 26

Alarms blared as Elias and Magnus ran through the basement. "Where are we supposed to go?"

"It's this way; keep going," Magnus said.

"Oh no, look." Elias skidded to a stop when he spotted a man in a black suit headed for them.

Magnus ran into Elias, nearly knocking him over. "It must be security. Let's head down this hall." He tugged on Elias' arm.

"But we're supposed to go this way?"

"Yes, but how are we supposed to deal with the beast running towards us?"

"I... I can deal with him."

Magnus' eyes widened. "You? How?"

"Learned from a new friend." When the security guard reached out for him, Elias countered by grabbing him and using the momentum to throw him over his shoulder. The security guard hit the ground hard and stopped moving.

Magnus stared at them, stunned. "One, that was awesome. Two, did you kill him?"

"Hope not. Let's go."

They continued down the hallway, passing by multiple locked doors in search of one with a special lock.

"You know, that security guard looked familiar," Magnus said, his mind still lingering on him.

"Oh?"

"I think... it was one of the ones who took them."

"If that's the case, I guess we got the right place, at least."

"There should be another one around here."

"Don't jinx it. I'd rather I not have to do that again. Ah!" Elias yelped as someone grabbed him from behind, their arm wrapped around his neck.

"Oh no! What do I do?" Magnus flailed about, stepping closer and stepping back as Elias struggled against the security guard. "Hey, you look the same as the first guy. You must be the other one from before."

"Help," Elias struggled to speak.

"How?!"

Calm down. Remember the training. In a few fluid motions, Elias broke the man's grasp and flipped him over his shoulder, throwing him to the ground. "Damn..." Elias gasped and rubbed his neck.

"This one was taken out, too." Magnus poked him with his foot and then tested his breathing. "Hey, I don't think he's breathing. You might've killed him."

"No way..." Actually, if he hit his head hard enough, it's possible. "We don't have time to check on him."

"Elias... I know we're breaking in here, but are you so cold as to not check that they're alive?"

"If he's dead, there's nothing I can do to help him, anyway."

"And if he's alive?"

"Then we have to hope he's asleep."

"I'll check on him." Magnus knelt down beside the security guard and checked the back of his head for blood. "There's no blood, but this isn't normal."

Elias, who had been keeping an eye out for anyone else, glanced down at him. "How so?"

"There's a gash in the back of his head, but there's metal underneath."

"Wait, what?!" Elias knelt down beside him to look. "Is he a robot?" I thought full humanoid robots were illegal.

"Robot, cyborg, android, who knows? He's not full human, that's for sure."

"That's... So is AI really looking to take over? Was Kristie right?"

"At least we don't have to worry about you killing them, but how the hell did you flip a robot?"

"It didn't feel any different from a human. He's a similar stature to Jae, so it helped know what I was doing, but you'd think it'd be heavier."

"Guess it used the expensive lighter material. No expenses spared. Why do I get a feeling this isn't just AI?"

"The higher ups? You really do sound like her," Elias muttered and stood. "Speaking of her, we should be on our way. Who knows what they're doing to them?"

"I know this is supposed to be dire, but this is the most exciting thing I've ever experienced. It's thrilling."

"That doesn't make it a good situation." Elias took off running before Magnus could continue.

"Wait up!" Magnus yelled as he chased after Elias. "When did you get so fast?"

"Think that's it?" Elias huffed and turned to Magnus while in front of a metal door with a panel on the side.

"It should be."

They took Leon's tablet out of the backpack and tried to connect it to the door.

"Leon made this look so easy," Elias grumbled.

"Because he's an expert. I'd be hard to find someone better than him, but that doesn't mean we can't do this. We have his programs and tech."

"If only we went over this more..." Elias typed as fast as he could into the program that helped him counter the defences.

"Guess I shouldn't underestimate you. With the right training, you could be like Leon."

"Would you prefer I leave this to you?"

Magnus shook his hands and stepped back. "Hacking isn't my forte. If anything, I can help you hold the tablet—"

"It's fine like this. Keep an eye out in case there are more." I'll get through. I have to get through. I have to save her. It doesn't matter if she's chosen Jae. His fingers flew across the tablet. I can't abandon her. I can't abandon them. Work faster, Elias. This is for your best friend.

The sirens stopped blazing, and red lights diminished.

"Did you do that?" Magnus asked.

"Yes, but I can't get through this... Arg..."

"Whatever you do, don't smash it against the wall in anger."

"I wouldn't do that."

Figuring no one else would show up, Magnus rifled through the backpack and pulled out a metal ball with a couple of buttons on it. "Leon didn't tell us about this. I wonder what it does." He hit the big button and a wave of energy blasted out of it.

The lights all went out, along with the tablet in Elias' hand.

"What just happened?" He tapped the screen a bunch of times, but the screen stayed blank. "No, no, no. This can't be happening. What did you do? Set off an electromagnetic pulse?"

"I guess that's what this did... Sorry." Magnus put the metal ball back. "I didn't know what it did."

"So you push the big button? Magnus!" Elias' voice hitched. "Now we're trapped here, while they're trapped in there."

A dim set of lights lit up, trailing down the hallway.

"Must be the backups. And again, I'm sorry." Magnus pulled out another device. "Okay, now this is a bomb, and I'm not going to set this off."

Elias thumped his fist on the door. "We have to open it somehow."