Cytronica

Thirty-four

"Are we even safe here?" Diego murmured. "I feel like we're too exposed."

"What!" Priya shrieked. "You're the one who didn't want to stay inside the learning centre because you were worried you'd feel trapped."

"I know," he admitted, instantly realising his mistake. "But I don't think this is a good idea."

Neither did Priya. She looked out from atop the large rock in the common where Hunter sat earlier in the week. It gave a good view of the surrounding area, but Diego had a point; they were far too exposed. Any bot would easily be able to scale the rock and attack them.

"Alright, we're going to need a new plan," she said, watching the helicopter hover over the eastern edge of the clearing. "I don't want to just run around the city aimlessly and hope for the best."

"Good idea. Let's think." He glanced up at the buildings surrounding the park. "We need to be logical here. Economic stability is down, so bots working in banks and financial buildings will probably be the most affected."

"But do bots even work on Saturdays?"

"I honestly have no idea."

"Still, you might be right. No banks, no corporations. We could try and get into one of these apartment buildings, but they're usually locked. Only tenants can get in."

"Which leaves public areas. Supermarkets, parks, movie theatres, whatever."

"And they're all way too crowded, especially on a Saturday afternoon. We need somewhere private to ride this thing out."

Diego cringed. "I can't think. I don't know what we're supposed to do."

Priya bit her lip, feeling the same way. The pressure of the situation was getting to them. And it certainly didn't help hearing screams and explosions ring out around them.

She gasped. "Someone's coming. I hear footsteps."

They both dropped down low, trying to remain hidden on top of the rock. They glanced over the edge just as a young woman holding a baseball bat bounded into the clearing.

"Hey, that's Lauren," Priya whispered. She stuck her head out. "Lauren, up here!"

The newcomer stopped running for a quick second. "Priya ... you need to run. Now."

"What? Why?" Diego asked, although not needing an explanation of the dangers they faced. "Is something coming?"

"Yes. Soldiers are in the common. Keep moving," Lauren instructed, and then took her leave.

"Damn it!" Priya yelled. "Alright, let's go." She clambered to the edge of the rock and jumped down. Diego did the same, and they started running after their fellow 4PM Club member.

"Lauren," Diego called out, "what else is happening out there? What have you seen?"

Lauren turned around but kept her body moving. "Everything. People are going crazy. They're attacking each other and arresting people. Everything. No one's safe. I've already seen like five kids get eliminated."

Priya looked down at her comm. "Shit. She's right. 142 and 503."

"I wonder how many of them have just chosen to log out. I don't blame—"

"Look out!" Priya roared.

Lauren froze but somehow managed to dive out of the way of the car careening toward them, out of control. It revved its engine and flew past the trio, a deranged man screaming from the driver's seat.

"Oh my god," Diego said. "Why the hell is he driving through the common?"

"Because these bots have completely lost it."

Lauren watched as the vehicle disappeared behind a line of trees. "Unbelievable. That was too close."

The continued running through the park. In the distance they could see others, bots and students alike, all trying to flee the carnage of the city centre.

"Where'd you get that?" Diego asked, eyeing the weapon.

"This?" Lauren asked, holding up the bat. "People are looting stores. I saw a guy drop it. He was carrying about ten of them."

"Maybe we should find that car and get out of here," Priya suggested. "Let's get as far away from here as we can."

Lauren shot her an odd look. "You want to steal a car?"

"No time for playing by the rules now. We're not going to last much longer in here at this rate, and this is only the beginning. Hunter told us we need to be hiding by six o'clock."

"I'm in," Lauren said. "We should work together. Let's get out of the city and just keep driving."

"Thank you," Diego said, feeling validated with his idea.

They turned a corner and ran down a narrow path, beautiful flowers lining either side of it.

Priya took in the beauty of her surroundings for a brief second. "I've never been to this part before."

"I have," Lauren said. "Just a bit further and we'll be out. Let's head to the road and find a car as soon as possible."

The garden ended, and they were back in the clearing once again. A short distance ahead was a large road, but it was far from safe.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," Diego gasped.

The road was blocked, full of rioters standing out the front of what looked to be a large corporate building. Some were chanting, some were yelling, and others were just taking their anger out on whatever surrounded them. Shards of glass exploded outwards as they smashed the windows of the building and nearby parked cars.

"We need to stay away from them," Lauren warned. "Don't get too close."

Priya's eyes widened. She slowed her pace. "Stop," she breathed. "Stop!"

The other two did as instructed and turned around.

"What is it?" Diego asked. "We can just go around them.

Priya shook her head. "Forget that. Look."

They followed the direction of her finger and saw what she was pointing at. Four large police vans approached the unruly horde, two on either side. They slammed the brakes on hard, coming to a sliding halt. Dozens of armed officers filed out from the back, each holding a full-length shield.

"Not again."

The rioters noticed the impending threat. Some started screaming and then fled into the common for safety.

"Uh oh," Lauren said. "They're running this way."

Diego's jaw dropped. "And the police are following."

"No!" Priya complained, furious that there seemed to be no way out. They were trapped. "Come on, let's go."

The trio turned and started running in a different direction altogether, desperate to avoid the authorities.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Lauren asked.

"I don't know," Priya muttered. "Whatever you do though, don't stop running."

"Wait," Diego said, "what if we let them catch us? If they arrest us we'll be taken somewhere safe."

"I doubt that. And it's way too risky. You'll probably share a cell with twenty other bots."

Diego's face fell. "Good point," he said, not thinking of that himself.

The sound of spinning rotors became even louder. They looked up and saw two new helicopters hovering toward the north side of the common.

"Seriously?" Priya hissed. "Could this day possibly get any worse?"

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