Chapter 07: The Park Massacre

National Metro Park. 4:48 PM.

01 arrived first. The Park was usually a place for joggers and families. Now, it was a war zone. Two gangs—each nearly thirty members strong—were tearing each other apart in the open grass. Gunfire crackled, scaring the birds from the trees.

01 scanned the scene from a high branch. “They’re this desperate? Fighting in open areas in broad daylight?”

She ducked as a stray bullet chipped the bark next to her. “Or maybe…” she whispered, eyes narrowing.

04’s voice screamed through the comms. “It’s a trap! Don’t go near them!”

01 paused. “What do you mean?”

“Think about it!” 04 yelled, the sound of wind rushing in the background. “If you’re a gang, and robots are hunting you—would you fight out in the open like this? It makes no sense.”

01’s processor clicked. “...Good point.”

“Then you know what this smells like,” 04 growled. “The Chief’s doing. He wants a show.”

01’s eyes glowed faintly red. “Got it. I’ll be careful.”

She leaped into the scene. She landed on a broken statue in the center of the crossfire. The gangs stopped instantly. They started signing at each other in code—clearly trying to confuse her audio sensors.

01 raised her voice. Steady. Cold. “This is the MPD! Drop your weapons and lie down peacefully!”

One of the gangsters laughed. He pointed his modified rifle at her chest. “Or what, house doll?”

BOOM! The ground cracked. A shockwave hit the air, knocking the gangster off his feet.

02 landed like thunder. She stood up slowly from the crater she had just made. “Or we break every bone you’ve got until you can’t walk again.”

01 looked up, relieved. “Captain! You made it!”

02 smirked. It wasn't a happy smile; it was sharp. “Really well. You should’ve seen the Chief’s face on TV.”

01 grinned. “I bet. So, we hit them, or—?”

02 raised her hand. “On my mark.”

The gangsters started sweating. The confidence evaporated. Some pulled out heavier weapons—black-market tech, too polished to be street-made.

02’s eyes flashed. “E-UNIT. Code Red—”

05’s voice boomed through the comms as she flew in from the east. “INITIATED!”

Their eyes flashed crimson. 02 chuckled darkly. “Stealing the spotlight now, after stealing Father’s books?”

05: “Guilty as charged!”

Then—Chaos.

02 sprinted forward. She smashed the first gangster from behind, kicking him skyward. 01 met him mid-air—a spinning elbow strike. 05 finished the combo with a flip kick that sent the man crashing into the concrete.

They were blurs. No bullets were fired. Just motion, dust, and the sickening sound of impact.

02 slide-kicked one man, knocking him flat. 04 punched another in the gut—blood burst from his mouth. 05 struck from behind, sending him rolling unconscious.

Another gangster aimed at 02. PING! Her shields deployed instantly, deflecting every round.

While he was distracted, 04 dove from above. SLAM! She drove him into the ground.

01 crushed a wrist under her boot, tossed the man upward—straight to 02. 02 caught him midair like a feather. She rose high, then came down with both fists together.

CRACK!

Silence. The gangs started breaking. “This isn’t what we were told!” one screamed. “They’re monsters!”

They dropped their guns and ran toward their vehicles.

02’s voice echoed behind them—cold, mechanical. “Foolish.”

04 and 05 moved in to block the exit. Their shields locked together, forming a glowing red wall. “Please—let us go!” “We can’t take this anymore!”

They turned back. And saw her. 02, walking through the smoke. Her red eyes gleaming. Each step heavier than thunder.

Fear alone froze them.

She ran forward—too fast to track. One punch. One scream. A kick—bones snapped. Bodies hit the ground one after another.

Only two were left. They stood trembling, surrounded by red-eyed androids. “I… I give up!” “Please! We surrender!”

02 lowered her arm. The red glow in her eyes faded back to blue. “04, 01—get these two to the cells. 05, call local med for the wounded.”

Then—Clap.

All four turned.

Clap. Then another.

People stepped out from behind trees, benches, and shelters. Civilians who had been hiding during the gang fight. Hesitant at first, then all at once, applause broke out.

“Thank you, E-UNIT!” “You’re the best!” “We can sleep again!” “Our kids can play outside!”

A man walked up—a father, bleeding from a stray cut on his arm, but smiling. He knelt before 02, holding her cold metal hand with both of his. “Really… thank you.”

02’s eyes softened. “That’s just our duty, citizen.”

The man smiled, tears on his cheeks. “You brought light back to this dark city. We couldn't move away, we couldn't hide… but you gave us hope again. Thank you.”

The Park erupted with clapping once more. 04 leaned close to her Captain. “And that’s why we do it, Captain.”

02 looked at the crowd. A soft smile crossed her cold face. It wasn't a smile of joy; it was a smile of victory. “Yeah. That’s exactly why.”

Metromania Police Department. 08:45 PM.

Evening fell over Metromania. It was calm and quiet on the surface, but the city’s heart never really slept.

01 walked down the hallway toward Dr. Nick’s office. The Captain (02) had sent her. 02 was too busy holding the team together, but she needed to know how the call with Police Head Mikael went. She needed to know if there was any hope for the funding.

The Father really wanted to expand the team. Sure, the E-UNITs were doing great. They handled the bank, the gangs, and the factory. But the Metro Robotics case proved one thing: They were limited.

Four active E-UNITs. One in the garage, broken in stasis. In a city of ten million people, that wasn't a police force. It was a band-aid.

Metromania was unique. In people’s eyes, it was the "Second Capital." A city of the ultra-rich and the working class, with nothing in between. It was the dream of the last President—a symbol of hope and progress. But when he died, the corporations moved in like vultures. They turned his dream into a machine that only served money and power.

Still, the city itself was amazing. Zero traffic. Perfect layout. Huge, clean buildings. The capital of industry. That’s why, even with the crime rate skyrocketing, people couldn’t leave. They were trapped in a golden cage.

Click. The office door opened. Nick came out. His face was twisted in frustration.

01 didn’t need to ask. The answer was written in his eyes.

“Bureaucracy, huh…” she said.

Nick sighed, leaning against the doorframe. “Yeah… and what’s worse, your results might be the reason. They saw how efficient you were in the park and the bank. So they asked: ‘Why increase the budget if everything is working fine?’”

01 blinked. “But we’re only four! That’s nothing against an army!”

“Exactly. And the constant missions mean we’ll need more repairs, more spare parts… more of everything.”

“What about Mikael? He didn’t agree with them, right?”

“Of course not. He fought hard,” Nick said, rubbing his temples. “But the Ministry of Defense refused to approve the new funding.”

01 frowned. “Why them? It’s not even their project. We fall under Public Safety.”

Nick looked at her, his expression grim. “Because of Metro Robotics.”

He walked to the window, looking out at the city. “You destroyed their factory. But they have strong ties with the Minister of Defense. They sell mechs to the army under the radar. After the attack, the Corporation raised their prices to cover the 'loss.' The extra money that was supposed to come to us... went to them instead.”

01’s processor spun for a second. “That’s insane! So… it was planned?”

“We don’t know yet. But the Ministry of Defense profits from the war. More conflict means a bigger budget for them.”

“So they’re protecting the company that’s feeding the war,” 01 said, disgust coloring her voice. “That’s sick.”

“Exactly what Mikael said. He told me to keep going, but not to expect much help.” Nick paused. He looked guilty. “And there is one more thing. A new restriction.”

01 tilted her head. “What?”

“They prohibited you from using guns.”

“What!?” 01 stepped forward. “How are we supposed to fight heavy mechs then?!”

“It’s my fault,” Nick whispered. “One of the reasons the E-UNIT project was approved was because of cost reduction. Fewer guns, fewer bullets, less spending on ammo.”

He looked at her fists. “They built you to use those instead. It’s cheaper.”

“So this whole project…” 01 muttered, “...was just an economic decision?”

“Sadly… yes. The government talks about peace and protection, but money speaks louder.”

01 sat on the floor. The weight of the situation settled on her shoulders. They were fighting tanks with their bare hands because bullets cost too much tax money.

Nick knelt beside her. He put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. Mikael will do something. I know him. He won’t let this stand.”

01 smiled weakly. But Nick could tell it was fake.

Metromania Police HQ. The Chief's Office. 09:01 PM.

Upstairs, Alfred Kane was boiling from the inside. He stormed into his office, slamming the door so hard the glass rattled. But then, he stopped. He realized how humiliating that outburst was. He stood there in the center of his office like a puppet with its strings cut, his mind racing at a thousand kilometers per hour.

Gus walked in. He saw his friend nearly broken. “Before we have a fallout,” Gus said, his voice unnervingly calm, “let’s cool down a little.”

“What am I supposed to do?!” Alfred shouted. He didn't cool down. He exploded. “Little girls in black skirts just ruined twenty years of my image! My connections! My network! Everything! People spit at me in the street. Shops refuse to serve me!”

“Stop thinking everything is against you!” Gus snapped back.

“Everything IS against me!” Alfred screamed, finally snapping for the first time in his career.

He paced the room, hands shaking.

“I can bribe a judge. I can intimidate a witness. I can make evidence disappear. But... how do I negotiate with that?”

He pointed at the screen, watching 02 shatter his world without blinking.

“It doesn't want money. It doesn't fear death. It just... executes.”

His voice dropped to a terrified whisper.

“We aren't dealing with a new police unit, Gus. We are looking at our own extinction.”

Gus leaned in. His face was close, calm, and fierce. “Then use it.”

Alfred froze. “Use it?”

“If people hate you already, give them a reason,” Gus said. “If they say you’re the bad guy... prove them right. Go all out. Take E-UNIT down by any means necessary. You have nothing left to lose.”

The fire in Alfred’s eyes shifted. It turned from hot rage to a cold, dead light. He sank onto his leather sofa, exhausted. “I wanted to invite you for a drink… but I’d probably be kicked out of the bar.”

Gus opened the office fridge and pulled out two bottles. “No need. Drinking at work is illegal—if anyone finds out, blame me.”

Alfred took the bottle. For the first time that day, he smiled a little. “My mom always said she wished I had a brother. I guess she got her wish.”

Gus clinked his bottle against Alfred’s. “To new plans.”

They drank like men planning a war.

The Mayor’s Mansion. The Rich District. 09:24 PM.

The same evening light reached the rich district, glowing softly on the white-stone walls of the Mayor’s mansion.

It sat in the heart of the district—a kingdom among kings. Three floors tall, surrounded by gardens large enough to host a football match. It wasn’t the modern-block style of the new rich; it was Old Money. Sleek. Elegant. Proud.

Inside, the living room could blind a man. White walls traced with gold lines. A chandelier made of 21-karat gold pieces hanging from a ten-meter ceiling. The floor shone so bright you could see your soul in it. To anyone from the lower districts, this place would scream Corruption.

Mayor Fredric Mil reclined on a massive sofa, facing his guest—Yuan Shikimori, the CEO of Metro Robotics.

They waited for the maid to bring coffee, chatting as if the city’s chaos was light gossip.

“...but they approved it right away!” Mil laughed, throwing his head back.

Shikimori smirked. “Weird, huh? So the Police Head really is fighting back.”

“Yes. That project is his last hope,” Mil said, swirling his empty glass. “He tried to bypass us several times, but each time we hit him with new restrictions. And now... this budget cut.”

“Not enough,” Shikimori replied, his face darkening. “Those bots hold incredible strength. My engineers are tearing each other apart trying to understand their raw power... and that personality.”

“Rumor says it’s a Free AI.”

“Impossible,” Shikimori scoffed. “The government would never let a Free AI roam without restrictions. Have they lost their minds?”

“You think those old fools with their dusty diplomas understand the danger?” Mil sneered. “I doubt the E-UNITs run unrestricted all the time.”

“Maybe. They call their creator ‘Father.’ He’s got a real kink.”

“No one sane would force his machines to call him that. But it shows how much control he has.”

Shikimori leaned back. “That budget cut came in clutch, though.”

“I heard your latest models were destroyed by the girls,” Mil noted, a hint of mockery in his voice. “I hate to admit it, but that’s one-nil for Dr. Nick.”

“They’ve seen nothing,” Shikimori said quickly. “That fight was just a test. To measure their power.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Our next line will crush them,” Shikimori promised. “The new models are so massive they need five professional pilots. As long as those toys stay few in number, we win.”

“Hoho! Brilliant to hear.”

Shikimori’s expression tightened. “My Boss is furious about the loss, though.”

Mil raised an eyebrow. “I’ve met him once. He’s… special.”

“That’s a generous word. The man gets angry over wasted paper. Each of those destroyed units costs a million credits.”

Mil nearly choked. “A million?! I’d be furious too!”

Shikimori stepped closer, smirking. “We make that in six hours. Money means nothing next to our government contracts.”

The maid entered, placing two cups of steaming coffee on the table. “Thank you,” Shikimori said politely.

“How’s the side project?” Mil asked, blowing on his coffee.

“Paused. Dr. Nick caught me off guard with those little toys.”

“Given his limited funding and time, I’m impressed,” Mil admitted. “He’d be a fine addition to your team.”

“After I destroy his dream, I’ll hire him,” Shikimori said. “If he applies his design sense to our frames, we’ll make billions.”

“Why little-girl designs, though?”

“To keep the public calm. They look harmless.”

Mil laughed dryly. “Seeing a little girl punching people to death isn’t exactly calming.”

“Better that than a five-meter black mech sprinting through the city at 200 kph.”

“Fair. Maybe that’s why Internal Affairs took his project instead of yours.”

Shikimori shook his head. “It’s not that simple. The Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister of Defense hate each other.”

“That’s news.”

“IA accused the Military of shady deals with us. Things will only get worse with E-UNIT on the field.”

Mil nodded slowly. “I see... So, what’s your next move?”

Shikimori leaned back, smiling a shark’s smile. “Obvious. Crush Dr. Nick’s project. We will prove it once more: Human plus Machine—together—are the perfect pair. Alone, they’re just broken pieces.”

“Then let’s see what the next weeks bring.”

Above them, the massive gold chandelier flickered once. As if the city itself disapproved.

The Capital. The National Police Head Quarter.

The same evening wind brushed the city’s glass towers, carrying whispers of schemes no one below could hear.

Mikael Wilson sat in his dark office. The screen’s blue light cut deep lines across his tired face. His feed showed two faces: the young Minister of Internal Affairs, William Redwood, and the pale Director of the Bureau of Finance.

The call was loud with worry.

“...that’s the best you can do?” Mikael’s voice came out sharp. “This is a new project. It needs funding. After the first success, you dry us out of money? When it fails—who takes the blame then?”

Redwood’s jaw tightened. He was young for his title—only twenty-nine. But the city had already learned to fear him when he spoke. He had stormed into office like a clean wind after a long, rotten summer. He sent old ministers to prison. He found corruption woven deep in the floors.

E-UNIT was his light. A machine that could be free of human rot. He believed in it like a prayer.

“I told you,” Redwood answered, his voice thin with exhaustion. “I gave you what I could. Parliament questioned me five times. They don’t trust tech. After your success, they turned on me—doubled down, saying I was trying to change the status quo. My Ministry isn’t an infinite money source, Mr. Wilson.”

SLAM! Mikael hit the desk. The wood groaned. “Why do those old heads fight everything?! For everything?! Are they just kids in old bodies?”

“They oppose anything that doesn’t come from their own lips,” Redwood said. “They block anything that works too well.”

Mikael breathed out, angry and tired. “We need to do something. I can’t leave Dr. Nick and five little metal girls facing those people alone—and without funding.”

Redwood’s eyes softened for a moment. “I hear you. But I can’t give another increase. If I do, they’ll move to replace me. Another old head will step in, cut the budget entirely, and everything goes poof.”

Mikael’s anger cooled into a tight knot of calculation. He leaned forward. “What about the road system? The ‘Light Lane’ plan?”

Redwood nodded. “You mean the dedicated lanes for the E-UNITs? That plan is moving. The Mayor will launch it tomorrow.”

Mikael blinked. “And he accepted so easily?”

Redwood let out a short, dry laugh. “He wants to look good. He’ll use the E-UNIT’s image to shine for the elections. He even used city funding to help the project. Smart move—low cost, high image.”

Mikael allowed a small, bitter smile. “Impressive work. At your age, you’ll have a bright future. That lane will let the E-UNITs move across the city instantly—connecting all the high-threat zones without traffic.”

Redwood shrugged. “It didn’t cost much. We converted empty spaces between highways and unused bus lines. Simple. Effective. Genius, really.”

“Good,” Mikael said. “But this money problem... someone higher needs to see it.”

Redwood’s gaze went hard. “If you mean the President, forget it. He’s busy with the war on the Western Front. Defense keeps him focused there. They don’t want him looking our way.”

Mikael shook his head. “I can’t believe there’s so much hate just because we refuse to hand E-UNIT to the military.”

“The old men of Defense won’t let go easily,” Redwood said. “They’ll take any chance to press back.”

Mikael’s voice dropped. “What are you planning, William?”

Redwood leaned into the camera, eyes narrow. “I gave Dr. Nick a little push. You’ll see.”

The words landed like a small bomb. Mikael felt something cold settle under his ribs—hope twined with dread. He pictured the five girls in the lab—small, bright, and dangerous—built from Nick’s stubborn, messy genius. If Redwood’s push worked, it might buy them time. If it failed, everything would fall faster than anyone planned.

Mikael closed his fist, then opened it slowly. “Make sure the Lane is ready tomorrow. And keep me informed about anything you do with Dr. Nick. We need every inch.”

Redwood’s face softened. Tired, but certain. “I’ll handle it. Sleep if you can, Mr. Wilson.”

Click. The screen went black.

Mikael sat alone in the blue afterglow. Outside, the city breathed on. Rich houses glowing. Neon veins pulsing. And a program that could change everything hanging by a thin thread of money and politics.

The Mayor’s mansion, the chandelier and gold, Shikimori smiling over coffee. Dr. Nick, hunched in a lab that smelled of solder, staring at his broken children.

Mikael let the silence grow a moment longer. Then, he stood up. He would not let them fall without a fight.