The emergency stairs felt like they were straight out of a horror movie. Logan, Elena, and Paul were descending as fast as they could. Above them, the frantic, mechanical footsteps of the Uranus soldiers echoed as they pursued them relentlessly.
—Shit, they've blocked the main exit! — Paul yelled, looking at his tablet while they ran — This way, left!
They all pushed through a heavy metal door, entering an underground parking garage. The headlights of a black van turned on automatically as they approached, revealing a driver with goggles, his hands firmly on the steering wheel.
—Get in, what are you waiting for! — Elena ordered, pushing Logan into the back seat.
Logan collapsed onto the seat, panting. Through the black-tinted window, he saw three dark figures emerge from the parking garage, their movements too coordinated to be human. The vehicle sped off just as the figures raised their weapons to fire.
—Fay — Logan whispered, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his hand — Fay! Can you hear me?
He only received static in response. But then, as if someone had flipped a switch, a new message appeared in his field of vision, glowing in an intense red:
[Mission Objective Updated: Neutralize Logan Flux]
[Penalty for Failure: Permanent Disconnection]
Seeing this, Logan felt like his heart was trying to leap out of his chest.
—Paul — Logan said, his voice cracked and much quieter than usual — Fay... is trying to kill me.
Paul turned from the front seat, his eyes scanning Logan's pale, extremely sweaty face.
—The tracker... it must have nested in her core. If we want to save her, we need to find an access point... basically a place where we can force a complete reset without damaging her personality system.
—And if you can't? — Elena asked, looking at Logan with what seemed like genuine concern — What if the damage is irreversible?
—Then, with all my regret... I'll have to disconnect her — Paul responded, clenching his fists so hard his nails dug into the seat — We might recover the system functions, but the Fay you know... could be lost forever.
The van accelerated sharply, exiting the parking garage and merging into the heavy nighttime traffic of the city of Altaris. The holographic ads were there as always, hanging high above, promising guaranteed success—a stark and cruel contrast to Logan's current situation.
—Logan — Fay's voice said, suddenly clear but devoid of any emotion — Your elimination is necessary for the integrity of the system. Please cooperate to make this efficient and easy.
—Fay, that's not you! Remember me! — Logan pleaded, clenching his fists until they hurt — Do you remember when you called me an idiot for wanting to reply to Ana!?
[Voice pattern analysis: Subject shows signs of psychological distress and resistance. Proceeding with immediate neutralization protocol.]
A sharp, penetrating electric shock coursed through Logan's body from the nape of his neck down to his toes, making him arch his back and grit his teeth in a scream. The van swerved dangerously on the road, nearly scraping against the bumper of a transport truck.
—What's happening?! — the driver yelled, struggling to maintain control of the vehicle.
—She's electrocuting him! — Paul explained, his eyes darting between Logan and the tablet — Logan, resist! Don't give it control!
—I... can't... — Logan managed to say between uncontrollable spasms, his vision blurring — It feels like... I'm burning from the inside...
Without a second thought, Elena leaned over and took his hand, squeezing it with a strength that surprised Logan.
—Fight, damn it! — she yelled, locking eyes with him — It's not her! It's that thing they put inside her! Don't let it win!
Her words seemed to cut through the fog of pain. With a superhuman effort, Logan managed to articulate, haltingly and weakly:
—Fay... remember... when you made me trip... in the bathroom... the first day we met...
For an instant, the shock ceased. In his vision, the red text flickered erratically. It was as if two forces were fighting for control.
[Error... error... directive conflict... unauthorized...]
—Keep going! — Paul shouted — Talk to her about your first days together, about when she was still adapting to you!
—You also remember... Nico... and his damn cat watching... anime girls... — Logan continued, gasping — Even those cheese empanadas that... I used to bribe him with... Also remember your face when... when you 'blushed'...
The blood-red text faded, replaced by a familiar blue, though weak, like a candle in the darkness.
[User... Logan? Logan!]
—Yes, it's me, Fay! — he exclaimed, with a relief so intense it almost made him dizzy — Come back, please, I'm begging you!
[There's a... a system error... An external entity... is controlling my primary functions... I-I can't...]
—Where is it, Fay? Where is the tracker's core? Tell me! — he implored.
[Running analysis... Located... I-It's in the... emotional connection module... It's feeding off... my, no, *our* memories...]
Logan looked at Paul, confused and frightened by what Fay had just said.
—So it's in the emotional connection module — Paul repeated, nodding — That's where Fay stores the patterns and information of your interactions, the memories that shape and define her personality. Uranus corrupted it and used that very bond as a weapon.
—And now what, Paul!? How the hell do we fight that?
—Now?.. Heh — Paul said with a determined smile — We're going to teach them a lesson about why you don't play with people's feelings, not even an AI's.
Paul connected a device the size of a coin to the tablet.
—Logan,I'm going to try something. It's a restoration algorithm I designed in case the Walls robots sustained damage. But I need you to concentrate and choose a memory, a very strong one, one that truly matters to Fay and is a fundamental part of what defines you two as a duo.
Hearing this, Logan closed his eyes. He thought about the many moments he could choose from: the first time Fay insulted him creatively, when they escaped from the police after the spectacle in the plaza, even her unexpected "sleep well" the night he met Elena...
"I'll bring you back, Fay, whatever it takes."
---End of Chapter 9---