Metal Heart
ne. It was not human. The pointed edges of its body shone with vitality, and its dazzlin
his voice strong and unwave
amused expression appearing on its face. "s
she still managed to speak, her
"No longer what I need," it stated, each sentence hard and ponderous. "However, w
dy tense with stress. "She
rang deep inside Sophia's bones.
ed, and the surrounding air thickened. Sophia gasped as the strain in the atmosphere shifte
her voice trembling.
, his gaze fixated on wher
it in his stance; he h
e silence. "We want to
his arm. "Again to the lab
he murmur of the ruins becoming fainter with each step. Soph
buzz of equipment was muffled. Adrian's arms trembled as h
ready typing furiously on her console, att
ned, his voice unnervingly calm. "It rec
He became decent. Whatever that issue had evol
m. Adrian growled under his breath, and Zeta moved f
ly safe," Adria
" she muttered, grabbing a handheld scan
is time. As she approached the
broad-shouldered, and absurdly so. The shadows ar
ivating the external floodlights. The discerner did
st too perfect, with penetrating eyes that appeared to glimmer slightly in the light. A
the intercom.
ry smile. "A pal," he said, his voice
," she said, attempting
not reach his eyes. "You're ri
red and a smooth click resonated across t
ia shouted, wh
late. The stranger had
the temperature gradually dropping. Zeta reacted immedi
Zeta questioned, his vo
erest. "So, that is the infamous creation." He took a step forwar
ia snapped, her wor
ghtly. "Names are complicated," he continued, his t
r spine. It became familiar, th
hia IV," she continued
ng an eye on things, though." His glance shifted to Zeta, and hi
angerous," So
h his gaze. "No longer yet," he said. "However he may be. And when that
r fist. "You don't
danger. He took another step forward, and Zeta
n," Zeta c
loodless and uncompromising.
rian stood frozen in front of the console, his fac
" she demanded, br
enough to unsettle her. "I wan
wha
cating at Zeta. "And don't give me a s
uge step forward. A method for recognizing recogn
rating stare breaking through h
he replie
e spoke in a low, hazardous
e you to accuse me of anything?" You destro
existence," Ka
ght her off unp
stance. "That thing you observed in the forest-it wasn't sent here by chance. "
htened. "What are y
are merely a scientist, but you are mistaken. You've awoken something you
s to argue, but the w
wing and unhurried. "Don't forget, this
her voice trembling
he faint light of the corridor. "Because if you fal
he faded into the past, l
mind racing with questions
he silence. "Do no
onary heart still thumping.
unsure whether