The sound of metal tearing echoed through the workshop.
CRAAASH!
The front shutter bent inward as something massive slammed against it from the outside.
Raka froze.
"…Please tell me that was a truck," he muttered.
Beside him, the mysterious robot girl stood completely still, her glowing blue eyes focused on the entrance.
Another crash followed.
BANG!
The metal shutter dented even deeper.
Through the growing cracks, faint red lights flickered.
Dozens of them.
Raka swallowed.
"How many?" he asked quietly.
The robot girl responded immediately.
"Thirty-seven ground units."
Raka blinked.
"…You counted them already?"
"Yes."
Another loud thud shook the building.
"And twelve aerial drones," she added calmly.
Raka slowly turned his head toward her.
"FORTY-NINE ROBOTS ARE OUTSIDE MY SHOP?!"
The robot girl didn't react to his panic.
Her gaze remained fixed on the shutter.
"They are attempting forced entry."
"Well obviously!"
Raka ran his hands through his hair.
"This is insane!"
From the front of the workshop came a loud metallic screech.
The shutter began to rip apart.
A robotic arm forced itself through the opening.
Claws scraped against the floor as it tried to grab something inside.
Raka jumped backward.
"NOPE!"
The robot girl suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"We must leave."
"Leave where?!"
She pointed toward the back of the workshop.
"There is a rear exit."
Another robot arm punched through the shutter.
Then another.
The metal barrier wouldn't hold much longer.
Raka looked toward the office.
"My boss—"
A scream echoed from outside.
Then the sound of gunfire.
Then silence.
Raka closed his eyes briefly.
"…Right."
He nodded.
"Back exit."
They ran through the workshop.
Tools clattered to the floor as they passed workbenches filled with broken machines.
Raka grabbed a heavy wrench from the table.
"Just in case," he muttered.
The robot girl moved quickly, almost gliding across the floor.
"Follow closely," she said.
"I'm trying!"
They reached the back door.
It led to a narrow alley behind the building.
The robot girl suddenly stopped.
Raka nearly crashed into her.
"Why did you stop?!"
She raised her hand slightly.
"Two hostile units outside."
Raka groaned.
"You've got to be kidding me."
He leaned against the wall and sighed.
"Okay… think… think…"
The robot girl turned toward him.
"You are experiencing stress."
"No kidding."
"I recommend controlled breathing."
"Now is NOT the time for yoga breathing!"
Another thunderous crash came from the front.
The robots were almost inside.
Raka clenched the wrench tightly.
"Alright," he said nervously. "Let's do this."
He slowly opened the back door.
The alley was dark.
Rainwater dripped from pipes above.
Trash bins lined the walls.
And standing near one of them were two security robots.
Their red eyes instantly locked onto Raka.
"Human detected."
Raka whispered, "Close the door."
But the robot girl stepped outside instead.
"AIRA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
The security robots raised their arms.
Electric weapons powered up.
"Target acquired."
Before they could fire—
AIRA moved.
Her body blurred forward.
CRACK!
Her fist punched straight through the first robot's chest.
Sparks exploded as the machine collapsed.
The second robot fired.
ZZZZT!
A bolt of electricity shot toward her.
She twisted sideways and grabbed the robot's arm mid-attack.
Then she ripped it off.
Literally.
Metal screamed as the limb tore free.
Raka stared in disbelief.
"…Remind me never to argue with you."
AIRA slammed the ripped arm into the robot's head.
The machine dropped instantly.
Silence returned to the alley.
Raka slowly stepped outside.
"Okay," he said carefully. "You're definitely not a normal robot."
"My systems are functioning normally."
"That's the scary part."
He pointed at the destroyed machines.
"You destroyed them in seconds!"
"Two point seven seconds."
"Right."
Raka rubbed his face.
"So… what kind of robot are you exactly?"
"Classified."
He groaned.
"Of course it is."
Suddenly a shadow passed overhead.
Raka looked up.
A drone hovered above the alley.
Its red scanner locked onto them.
"Target confirmed."
Raka pointed upward.
"RUN!"
The drone opened fire.
TATATATAT!
Bullets slammed into the pavement around them.
Concrete exploded.
AIRA grabbed Raka and dragged him behind a dumpster.
"Remain down."
Raka pressed himself against the ground.
"This is the worst night of my life!"
The drone lowered itself slowly.
Scanning.
Searching.
Raka whispered, "Do you have a plan?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"I will disable the drone."
"Sounds good!"
She suddenly jumped.
AIRA launched into the air and grabbed the drone mid-flight.
The machine spun wildly.
"Release unit immediately!"
AIRA punched straight through its core.
Sparks burst everywhere.
Both machines crashed to the ground.
Raka ran over.
"Are you okay?!"
AIRA stood up.
"My systems remain operational."
Raka sighed in relief.
"Good."
Then he pointed toward the street.
"Because I can't fight flying death machines."
More mechanical footsteps echoed nearby.
AIRA looked toward the road.
"Additional hostile units approaching."
Raka groaned.
"Of course they are."
They ran out of the alley and onto the street.
The city looked like chaos.
Cars were abandoned.
Buildings burned.
People ran everywhere.
Police sirens echoed through the night.
But the police robots weren't helping.
They were attacking civilians.
One robot slammed a man against a wall.
Another drone fired into a crowd.
Raka stared in horror.
"This can't be real…"
AIRA pulled him behind a parked car.
"Remain concealed."
Raka peeked over the hood.
"Okay… we need a plan."
"Yes."
"Do you have one?"
"Yes."
Raka looked hopeful.
"Really?"
"We run."
"…That's not a plan!"
AIRA suddenly stood up.
"Hostile units approaching."
Raka looked behind them.
Five robots marched down the street.
Their red eyes glowed brightly.
Weapons ready.
One spoke in a mechanical voice.
"Primary target located."
Raka grabbed his head.
"WHY AM I THE PRIMARY TARGET?!"
The robots advanced.
AIRA grabbed his hand.
"We must move."
They sprinted across the street.
Bullets struck the asphalt behind them.
TATATAT!
Raka nearly tripped.
"I am NOT built for this much running!"
AIRA pulled him into a subway entrance.
They rushed down the stairs.
The underground station was dark.
Emergency lights flickered weakly.
Raka leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
"Okay… time out."
AIRA looked at him.
"You require rest."
"Yes!"
He pointed upward.
"And robots want to murder me!"
"Yes."
Raka stared at her.
"You're way too calm."
"My emotional systems are limited."
"Lucky."
Footsteps echoed above them.
The robots were entering the station.
Raka stood quickly.
"Alright. Running again."
They moved deeper into the tunnels.
The darkness swallowed them.
After several minutes, Raka slowed down.
"Wait."
AIRA stopped.
"Yes?"
Raka looked at her seriously.
"AIRA."
"Yes?"
"Why are you helping me?"
She hesitated.
"My directive is to protect you."
"But why?"
"I do not know."
Raka blinked.
"You… don't know?"
"No."
"That's unsettling."
Suddenly a distant voice echoed through the tunnel.
"Hello…?"
Raka froze.
"…Did you hear that?"
"Yes."
Another voice whispered.
"Are those robots?"
Raka looked around the dark tunnel.
"…I think we're not alone down here."
AIRA's eyes glowed brighter.
"Multiple human life signs detected."
Raka sighed.
"Well…"
He stepped forward cautiously.
"Guess we just found the survivors."
But neither of them realized—
Something else in the darkness had already found them first.