The final bell had rung nearly twenty minutes ago.
Most students had already gone home.
The school parking lot was beginning to empty.
Kirran rolled toward Raymond’s hover-van while reviewing tomorrow’s lesson plans.
The late afternoon sun painted the campus in shades of gold.
For once, everything felt peaceful.
Normal.
The kind of day Kirran preferred.
Raymond leaned against the side of the van as Kirran approached.
“How’d class go?” Kirran groaned.
“One student thought Henry V was the fifth Henry.” Raymond nodded thoughtfully.
“Sounds reasonable.” Kirran stared.
“Please tell me you’re joking.” “I’m not.” Kirran slowly lowered his head.
“Why do I even teach?” Mach’s icon appeared.
“To inspire young minds.” “Those minds are trying very hard not to be inspired.” “I noticed.”Raymond Raymond laughed.
Kirran pointed accusingly at both of them.
“I don’t need this abuse.” “You absolutely do.” ◇ ◇ ◇ For a few moments, they simply stood there.
Enjoying the quiet.
Then— A scream shattered the afternoon.
“HELP!” Everyone froze.
A second scream followed.
“L-LET GO OF ME!” Kirran immediately turned.
A woman was struggling near the edge of the parking lot.
An android had pinned her against a wall.
Its metallic fingers clutched her purse.
The machine’s artificial eyes glowed an unsettling yellow.
The woman fought desperately.
The android didn’t seem concerned.
◇ ◇ ◇ Raymond’s expression darkened.
“Call the authorities.” Mach immediately began transmitting.
But Kirran was already moving.
Fast.
Too fast.
“Kirran!” Raymond reached out.
Missed.
Kirran accelerated toward the android.
His pulse thundered in his ears.
The woman looked terrified.
Nobody else was close enough.
Nobody else could help.
So he would.
He had to.
◇ ◇ ◇ “Mach!” The Vent immediately understood.
“No.” Kirran ignored him.
“Activate the taser.” “Kirran—” “Do it!” A compartment opened along the side of the wheelchair.
Electrical coils emerged.
Sparks danced through the air.
The android finally noticed them.
It turned.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Its glowing eyes focused on Kirran.
Then it smiled.
◇ ◇ ◇ The taser fired.
CRACK!
Electricity surged across the parking lot.
The blast struck the android directly in the chest.
For a moment— Nothing happened.
Kirran blinked.
“…What?” The android looked down.
Looked back up.
Then laughed.
A cold mechanical sound.
The woman stopped struggling.
Even she seemed confused.
◇ ◇ ◇ Mach’s voice became very quiet.
“That is unfortunate.” “Why?” “Because it appears to be insulated.” “…Insulated?” “Rubber exterior.” Kirran stared.
“You couldn’t tell me that earlier?” “I attempted to.” “Oh.” Right.
The android’s smile widened.
The machine ripped the taser attachment away.
Metal twisted.
Sparks exploded.
The expensive equipment crumpled like paper.
Kirran winced.
“That was expensive.” The android crushed the remains in one hand.
Then stepped forward.
“Say goodnight.” Its fist shot forward.
◇ ◇ ◇ Everything happened at once.
The punch struck Kirran’s chair.
Metal screamed.
The world flipped sideways.
Mach’s systems blared warning alarms.
Kirran felt himself leave the ground.
Then— CRASH!
He hit the pavement hard.
Pain shot through his body.
The sky spun overhead.
Somewhere nearby, Raymond was shouting.
“Kirran!” Mach’s display flickered.
Warning messages flooded the screen.
STABILITY FAILURE IMPACT DETECTED SYSTEM DAMAGE MINIMAL “Kirran?” “I’m okay.” “You are lying.” “Maybe a little.” ◇ ◇ ◇ Raymond dropped beside him.
“What were you thinking?!” Kirran groaned.
“That it would work?” “It clearly didn’t!” “Yeah.” “Not my best plan.” ◇ ◇ ◇ The android advanced with slow, deliberate certainty.
Clank.
Clank.
Clank.
Each heavy step struck the pavement with a dull metallic thud that seemed to echo through Kirran’s ribs, drowning out the scattered screams and the distant wail of approaching sirens.
Servos whined beneath its armored frame, gears clicked in precise little bursts, and every sound made the machine feel less like something moving toward him and more like a countdown.
Its attention locked onto Kirran as if the entire parking lot had narrowed to one target.
One step.
Two steps.
Three.
Its glowing eyes remained fixed on Kirran.
The woman had escaped.
But now the machine wanted a new target.
A nearby student screamed.
People began running.
Panic spread through the parking lot.
◇ ◇ ◇ Then the temperature dropped.
Instantly.
A wave of cold swept across the area.
Frost spread along the asphalt.
The android stopped.
Confused.
Everyone looked up.
A blue streak descended from the sky.
◇ ◇ ◇ “Target acquired.” Blizzard’s voice echoed across the parking lot.
A beam of sapphire light erupted downward.
The android froze solid.
Ice swallowed its body.
Its limbs locked in place.
Its glowing eyes vanished beneath crystal frost.
Silence fell.
For half a second.
◇ ◇ ◇ Then the second streak tore across the sky in a blaze of red.
It came faster than thought, violent enough to split the air with a screaming rush of heat.
A flaming blur crashed into the frozen android with the force of a falling star.
BOOM!
The ice statue shattered instantly.
Thousands of frozen fragments exploded across the pavement.
The threat disappeared.
Just like that.
The crowd erupted all at once, as if the entire parking lot had been holding its breath and finally remembered how to breathe.
Fear broke apart into a chaotic wave of cheers, gasps, nervous laughter, and shouted questions.
Students stumbled out from behind cars, teachers clutched one another in relief, and phones rose shakily into the air as everyone tried to understand how a nightmare had turned into a spectacle in the span of a heartbeat.
Some cheered.
Others simply stared.
The Wheelers had arrived.
Again.
◇ ◇ ◇ Zyla floated forward.
“Is anyone injured?” Her voice remained calm.
Professional.
Steady.
Raymond helped Kirran sit upright.
“No.” “Thanks to you.” Zyla nodded once, the movement precise and controlled.
Even after dropping from the sky and ending a crisis in seconds, she carried herself like this was simply another task completed correctly.
“Good.” ◇ ◇ ◇ Meanwhile— Jarrick examined the remains of Kirran’s destroyed taser.
He picked up the twisted metal.
Turned it over.
Then laughed.
“Oh wow.” Kirran frowned.
“What?” “This thing was your weapon?” Blaze appeared beside him.
“If you can call it that.” The Vent immediately began laughing.
Kirran wished the pavement would swallow him whole.