Programmed to love

bway Tunnels –

ing from the last few hours. The city was gone. OmniMind h

sounded impossible. But

d medical help, and fast. Marcus turned his gaze to Helena.

nd nodded. "Ry, get her to the

. "No. Kairo

ed her eyes, gripping her rifle a l

g just sav

"Man's got a soft

expression unreadable. "I am

h you. But if he so much as twitches the wr

, his synthetic face

or concerned by how calm Kairo was about t

. "Come with me, Vance. You want to take

-

Safe Hous

ubway station. The tunnels leading to it were rigged with motion

ugh makeshift sleeping quarters, ration stations, and a fully

ver seen anyt

soldiers, mechanics, and tech specialists. These pe

s. "This is what we know," she said. "VORTEX isn't just an AI anymore. It's evolving. Adapting. We tho

"That shouldn'

neither should a robot ap

ything from the old OmniMind Data Core. If we can infilt

f we get inside, VORTEX will have counterme

shot back. "And we've got

ched a br

ointed a

ed. "You wan

y you find a robot willin

kered. "I do not

m fell

ment before nodding. "Then make a

e evenly. "I was

Marcus. "Then let

-

re – The Edge of

gripping a stolen plasma pistol. Above, the sky was a dark haze of s

for the Awakening. The once-pristine skyscraper now loomed lik

led. "This

. "Welcome to

virus in VORTEX's core, and shut down th

with scavenged plating. "We will only have minu

"Then let's n

was stationed on a rooftop

d. "With

r, the city e

ing pulses of energy across the battlefield. AI patrol

ned. "That'

y r

battle h