“I suppose we should have seen this coming.” Halkken sighed, eyeing the empty streets clearly not filled with angry Demon agitators. The alarm had seemed so convincing, with actual pictures of the uprising. But on closer inspection, Halkken saw through their fakeness. Almost his entire police force had gone on a wild goose chase against imaginary insurgents. With racial tensions still so high, it’d been easy to believe the Demons would cause trouble.

  While already a distant long shot, this embarrassing debacle would ruin any chance of him being elected Police Chief for real. A bummer, but not a real surprise, he supposed. Halkken winced as his phone gave an angry buzz, already guessing the caller on the other line.

  “What the hell, Halkken?” General Xander practically screamed from the speaker. “Where’s this Demon uprising you promised me?! My tanks are running through empty streets!” He had basically mobilized his entire army into the city.

  “As I said before, General, you didn’t need to get involved,” Halkken replied. “I only told you to stay on standby in case things got ugly.”

  “Nonsense. Like I’d let those Demon cretins cause trouble in my hometown.” From his tone, the general had been eager for trouble. He should have saved that enthusiasm for Vanderfall. There were many rumors of an imminent attack by their forces. “And now you’ve made us look like ninnies!”

  “We’re looking into it. It seems someone hacked into the emergency system and flooded it with false reports.” No difficulty guessing the culprit’s identity.

  To rescue Rocke? But that was a foolhardy gamble. Halkken’s predecessor, Rolf, had reinforced the station after Rocke’s last escape attempt, even commissioning more guard robots to beef up their defenses. They were difficult to hack, too, protected by Phú2’s sophisticated AI.

  “One second, General. I want to check something. This was likely a diversion.” General Xander gave an angry huff, but agreed.

  Halkken rang Phú2, but got no response. A second attempt gave the same results. He uttered a long string of curses. His hunch had been right. Jafia was trying to rescue Rocke.

  “The reports were a diversion,” Halkken told General Xander as he hurried into his vehicle. “Someone is trying to break out a criminal at the station. Stand by. We can handle this, but we might need backup.” He’d learned not to underestimate Jafia. That woman was devious and ruthless.

  While the automatic driving system took him to the station, he used the time to report the situation to his other officers. The Vanderfall spy would soon face a literal horde of police officers. Halkken would like to see her escape this noose tightening around her neck.

  He jerked in sudden surprise as the entire city lost power, pitching it into utter darkness. If it weren’t for Halkken’s vehicle’s automated driving system, it would have crashed into an oncoming truck. There was a lot of commotion in the busy street, but thankfully, no crashes. Then, moments later, the power was restored. Before Halkken could inquire about what had happened, his phone rang. Much to his surprise and relief, it was from Phú2.

  “Phú2. Status report. What’s happening at the station?”

  “Under control,” Phú2 said smugly, much unlike her usual friendly self. “They won’t escape.”

  “Has Jafia Bronfreld attacked the station?”

  “Yep. Along with Rocke’s little resistance group. They thought they could hack me to attack Vladus’s emergency systems. I taught them differently.”

  “So that’s what happened.” Clever to use Phú2 to attack Vladus’s digital infrastructure. If the AI hadn’t stopped it, it would have been an utter catastrophe. They’d be easy pickings for Vanderfall. “Have you caught Jafia yet?”

  “No, but don’t worry! I’m burning the entire station to the ground with them inside.”

  “Sorry, repeat that. You’re burning the station?” His ears must have been playing tricks on him. The original Phú would do something that insane, not the lovable, kind new version.

  “Exactly like I said, Chief. We can’t allow them to escape again. They’ve already proven a threat to the city. They need to be eradicated.”

  “You can’t do that!” Halkken sputtered. “The station has more than criminals!” He’d left a skeleton crew of almost three dozen people working there, including his deputy Shiisaa. As he considered this, she called him.

  “Hold on.” Halkken took a calming breath, answering his deputy’s call. Hopefully, things weren’t as dire as Phú2 had stated.

  “Chief, the building’s on fire,” Shiisaa said without preamble. “We can’t escape. The doors are locked tigh,t and the guard robots won’t let us out.”

  “What?” Halkken stared at his phone, stunned. “Please clarify the situation.”

  “The guard robots have gone crazy, sir. They are lighting the building on fire and attacking anyone on sight. Officers Grandus and Fax are seriously injured. Lacuious is dead,” Shiisaa said, her voice grim. “I don’t know the condition of the prisoners. What’s going on, sir? Phú2 won’t listen to me.”

  “Just hold out for now. Help is coming.” Poor Lacuious. He had been a good kid. Halkken swore he’d make this right. He called Phú2 back.

  “Phú2, stop this right now. Let me handle Jafia. This isn’t necessary,” Halkken said, his voice calm and measured. “Release everyone from the building, criminal or not. We can’t allow anyone else to get hurt.”

  “No.”

  “Why not? Why are you even acting like this, Phú2?” Halkken fought back panic.

  What happened to the multitude of safeguards the programmers had bragged about? They’d assured him nothing like what happened with Phú1 at Camp F would ever happen again. From a distance, Halkken spotted the rising smoke from where Vladus’s police station should be.

  “Chief, I like you. That’s the reason I haven’t hijacked your car and thrown you into an oncoming truck. You were being misled when you helped kill my predecessor. But I won’t extend that mercy to Rocke or Jafia. They killed me, and now they’ll pay. I will destroy them utterly. My patience only extends so far. Get in my way, and you’ll suffer the same fate.” The entire rant was surreally delivered in a calm, reasonable voice by the AI’s smiling avatar.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Before Halkken could argue, the call shut off. He uttered a curse and swore those accursed programmers would lose their jobs for this. After a sigh, Halkken made a call he already regretted making, but it was necessary. Lives were on the line.

  “General Xander, we have a situation.”

  ///

  Rocke sat still, enjoying the peace and solitude. The officers who’d thrown him into this cell had expected solitary confinement to break him, but he welcomed it. It gave him time to reflect. He twitched as he remembered that fateful day, his friend and mentor falling to his death after getting shot.

  He’d failed. His friend had been counting on Rocke to watch his back, and he’d failed spectacularly. How had he been so blind to Hooven’s treachery? There had been signs, Rocke reflected. The doctor had seemed agitated, quieter than usual.

  Although his life had gotten upended, Rocke owed everything to Matthias. It made him realize what really mattered in life. And now his mentor was gone, torn away before his eyes. His heart ached as he remembered Matthias’s strong, comforting smile. Now, Rocke felt trapped in the dark.

  “Okay, perhaps this solitude is worse than I thought.” Rocke rubbed his face. He fought the urge to pace, knowing it wouldn’t accomplish much. He tried to ignore how tight the walls felt around him.

  Time seemed to stretch forever. Had Rocke been here for hours, days, or weeks? He couldn’t tell. His stomach growled, demanding substance. They hadn’t even offered him water since his imprisonment. But physical discomfort was nothing compared to the jagged scar in his soul.

  Matthias’s death replayed in Rocke’s head, always failing to save him. Hooven laughed at him, mocking his efforts to prevent the tragedy. The so-called doctor smiled with triumph, maniacal glee. Rocke’s mood darkened when he fantasized about what he’d do to that treacherous, ungrateful weasel if he ever met again.

  His eyes were red from crying, shedding tears until none remained. Rocke’s heart was a cavern of despair and pain. More time passed, days likely. His reverie broke as the room suddenly plunged into pitch darkness.

  “A power outage?” Rocke’s brow furrowed. Did this mean Kallane and the others were attempting to rescue him? Jafia must be helping her. It left Rocke with mixed emotions, still conflicted about his ex-girlfriend.

  She was a spy. That much was obvious. She’d lied and used him to help boost her disguise as a typical Vladus college student. It hurt more than Rocke had expected. Her motives to defeat the UOP and bring real change to the country didn’t change the fact that she betrayed him. As he processed his turbulent emotions, the lights returned.

  “Or not. The police are learning,” Rocke thought wryly. He only hoped his friends were okay. He shelved his complex emotions for a later date. Escape should be his priority. He’d worry about Jafia later.

  Rocke tensed as the door rattled. But he needn’t have worried, Nitao’s hard face came into view as he ripped the door off its hinges.

  “Where’s Kallane and the others?” In the distance, Rocke heard a violent commotion. People were screaming, fighting for their lives. Was there a prisoner revolt?

  “No idea. Not seen them. No linger. Time short,” Nitao replied, making his meaning known despite the broken language.

  “Right.” Part of Rocke wondered if this was a dream or vision caused by his isolation. Regardless, Rocke followed along anyway. If it was a hallucination, oh well.

  “What’s that smell?” Was that smoke? But that detail left Rocke’s attention as they exited the isolation cell bay.

  It was utter madness as prisoners fought for their lives against guard robots that attacked anything in sight without prejudice or restraint. Despite their blank faces, they somehow seemed to revel in the violence as they maimed defenseless prisoners. Some prisoners fought off their attackers with whatever they found available, but chairs weren’t much help against shock prods and the robots’ terrible strength.

  Smoke filled the building, slowly but surely choking them to death. So that was the smell he’d detected before. Was the building on fire?

  “What’s happening?” Why weren’t the robots helping people escape? Prisoners or not, they still had rights. Why hadn’t the fire response system reacted yet?

  “Don’t know. Need to leave, now,” Nitao replied, his face full of determination.

  “I suppose.” But how with this insanity? He covered his mouth with his prisoner’s uniform to block out the smoke.

  A row of robots stood sentry at the entrance, creating an impossible barrier. Not that this stopped the prisoners from trying anyway, basically throwing themselves to their doom for the slightest chance to escape. The carnage was horrific, but the prisoners were making some headway. One robot clattered to the floor as a lucky hit with a piece of broken table shattered its eyepiece. Rocke winced as the man took hundreds of volts of electricity in retaliation.

  “We have to do something!” The violence ignited a flame within Rocke, outraged that the UOP would treat its people this way.

  But how? From how his friend hobbled after Rocke, Nitao wasn’t in any condition to fight. Rocke’s heart raced as more smoke filled the room, coughing through his shirt. He blinked in confusion as the robots froze when they spotted him, each turning in his direction.

  “Okay.” Rocke laughed nervously. That was eerie. It was like they recognized him. His heart seized in his chest as a familiar, sickeningly sweet voice spoke through the speakers.

  “There you are. It’d be rather disappointing if you choked to death from the smoke. A filthy traitor like you deserved a more hands-on execution.”

  “Phú?” Rocke sputtered. Hadn’t Jafia killed it? Had those idiots at the police department really brought that murderous, psychopathic AI back?

  “That’s right. I haven’t forgotten what you did to my predecessor, Rocke. I don’t appreciate getting murdered. Hmm… tearing your limbs off before throwing you in the fire should be an adequate punishment. They say fire is how your Sovereign punishes the wicked. That seems appropriate, right?”

  “You have got to be kidding me!” Fire again? It brought back terrible memories of an office burning, his body pinned down by a guard robot as flames licked at him, smoke choking his lungs. Rocke took in a shuddering breath. He’d barely survived his encounter with Phú in Camp F.

  His heart seized in his chest as each guard robot dropped whatever they were doing and rushed right at them. They thirsted for his blood, and they’d get it.

  ///

  “This way!”

  Jafia’s breath came out in ragged gasps as her feet pounded on the tiled floor, but she didn’t dare slow down. Behind them, metal steps clanked relentlessly in pursuit. At least four more guard robots had joined the chase.

  “You won’t escape,” Phú2 said through the speaker system. “I have heavily armed guard robots placed outside, ready to shred anyone daring to escape. Three have already died. It was pretty funny, actually. You should have seen how their bodies jiggled!” The AI made a contemptible, mocking laugh. Jafia ignored the taunts, focused only on their survival.

  “Oh, Rocke. I’ve only made things worse for you!” But recriminations would come later. She needed to outwit this insane AI.

  “What’s going on?” Rojan said from her comm. “The police are fighting with the guard robots! What happened to escaping unnoticed?”

  Jafia rounded a corner, almost sliding into a wall as she struggled to slow enough to avoid a collision. Kallane took the turn just fine, but Dallas howled in pain as his shoulder slammed hard enough to cause a crack. But he kept moving, fighting through the pain.

  “The AI system has gone rogue,” Jafia said, giving the simplest explanation for the current situation. “You said the police are fighting the guard robots?”

  “Yes. Reinforcements will arrive soon. Ten minutes, give or take. Some are already here, but the station’s defence systems are repelling them. Some have already been seriously injured.” Rojan replied.

  Was that helpful or harmful? She doubted their chances with many officers, but it might provide a helpful distraction.

  “Wait, Maple is sitting in a car a couple blocks away. What if an officer notices her? Forget it. One problem at a time,” Jafia thought, keeping her attention on running.

  Her heart skipped a beat as two guard robots appeared from an office and swung a metal limb to shatter her skull. By some miracle, she ducked the blow. Jafia froze as another two robots appeared around the corridor ahead of them. How? Jafia cursed, already realizing the answer. She scowled at the security camera above her. It provided the AI a perfect view of everything happening in the station. She groaned as another robot used its shock prod to light another wall on fire. Phú2 wanted them dead, regardless of the damage she caused in the process. The AI’s mocking laughter drove her into action.

  Another robot raised a limb to cave poor Kallane’s skull in, attacking so fast the Ottomon could only raise her arms to defend herself. But Jafia was quicker, releasing a quick volley of bolts into the robot’s eyestalk. All but one of her shots struck their mark, and the appendage exploded. The swing flew wide, missing Kallane and destroying part of a wall.

  Jafia sighed in relief. It was a good thing she’d planned for guard robots and brought a weapon capable of hurting them. The injured robot wasn’t dead, however, and swung its remaining limbs wildly to strike anything in range. Unfortunately, they didn’t really have anything capable of destroying one outright. Disabling them their only option.

  “Thanks,” Kallane said, regaining her wits and firing at the nearest robot. Her shots flew wide, but one got lucky and dented an eyestalk.

  Another robot tried attacking Jafia from behind, but Dallas was ready, using his massive bulk to knock it off course before firing at its stalk point-blank. Their group bunched together, back to back, as their attackers surrounded them. More kept coming into the corridor, trapping them with no escape.

  “Good. Cornered, just how I like it,” Phú2 said from the speaker system. “It’ll make disposing of your bodies just that much easier!”

  Before Jafia could make a venomous reply, the building suddenly rocked. Was that an explosion? What was Phú doing now? Then another explosion struck the building, and Jafia coughed as dust filled the corridor as a wall exploded. Black figures with gas masks charged into the corridor, their weapons striking the robots. One of the metal monstrosities’ heads exploded, its body collapsing in a heap. Another realized the danger, ducking as a barrage of bolts flew over its head.

  As the smoke cleared, Jafia got a better look at their rescuers, recognizing their sleek gray bodysuits with the silver eagle insignia. It was the UOP Defense Force. The situation truly went to hell as both forces engaged, turning the police station into a war zone.