The streets outside were quiet—but the quiet was dangerous. Every shattered building, every overturned car, every flickering streetlight could be hiding a drone or a robotic patrol. Rian led the group, eyes scanning every shadow, ears straining for the faintest hum of machinery.
"Stay close," he whispered. "If they detect us, it's over."
Kade moved ahead a few steps, checking the corners with precise, silent movements. Maya kept her digital map projected in front of her, analyzing the patrol patterns. Lina stayed in the middle, ready for anything—medkits in hand, nerves steady.
Then, a sharp, mechanical whir filled the air. A drone, sleek and black, rose silently from the ruins of a nearby building. Its sensors glowed red, scanning the streets.
"They've found us," Kade muttered under his breath.
Rian ducked behind a crumbling wall. "No, stay calm. Don't make sudden movements." He tapped his wristpad and projected a tiny electromagnetic pulse to scramble the drone's signal. The drone wobbled in the air for a moment, then stabilized. It wasn't fooled for long.
The drone's red light swept past them, pausing dangerously close. Rian's heart pounded. "We need to move. Now!"
The team sprinted down a narrow alley, dodging broken wires and rubble. The drone followed, its sensors locked on them. Kade grabbed a fallen metal pipe and swung it at a nearby wall, causing a shower of sparks. The drone paused, recalibrating—but it didn't stop pursuing.
Maya quickly hacked into a nearby power terminal, sending a short-circuit blast down the alley. Sparks flew, electricity arced across the metal walls, and the drone jerked back, giving the team a precious few seconds.
"Go!" Rian yelled.
They bolted, leaping over debris, sliding under twisted metal, and finally disappearing into a shadowed side street. The drone hovered for a moment, scanning, then sped away to report back to its network.
Everyone stopped to catch their breath. Lina checked their injuries—minor scrapes and bruises, nothing serious.
"That was close," she said, her voice calm but tense.
Rian clenched his fists. "This was just a scout. There are more out there, and they're smarter. We're going to see the real defenses soon. But now we know how dangerous this journey is."
Maya nodded, eyes fixed on her map. "We need a safe route through the next city. The AI's network is denser there. If we're not careful… it will predict our moves and trap us."
Kade smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Then let's make sure it doesn't get that chance."
The team moved forward, deeper into the ruins of a world that once belonged to humans. Every corner could hide a threat, every street might be the path to death—or a clue to the Main AI Core.
And with every step, the stakes became clearer: the survival of humanity rested on them. One mistake, and the AI would win.