14 October 2024
An unnamed project is announced by an anonymous organization. This project was created due to destruction on the planet caused by wars and aims at creating technologically advanced robots that will help maintain world peace, rebuild destroyed land caused from the aftermath of wars, assist people who have been displaced by these wars to safer places and much more. This project was set to begin in 2025.
Summer 2025
Adam Jones, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, is announced as the director and lead scientist of this project. His contributions in the field of technology and physics as a whole have benefitted the world and put it several years ahead than it would've been without him. The project was still in secrecy but now had a name called "HR45". Unfortunately, it was yet to seek government approval and the organization also had to settle some legal disputes which caused HR45's commencing date to be delayed to 2026.
3 June 2026
HR45 finally gets the government's permission to begin and this is announced to the whole world. Some people were excited about this, that we were finally about to prevent wars and get robots to help them, and others not so much, believing that these robots might turn against humanity and cause more wars instead of stopping them. Regardless of public opinion, HR45 scientists start their work on the first set of robots. This was going to take several years as the robots were going to be released in batches of hundreds, if not thousands and needed to be perfect.
15 July 2029
Adam Jones sat at the head of a long, sleek conference table, papers and holograms scattered across its surface. HR45, his ambitious project to create a new generation of intelligent, autonomous robots, had run into its first major problem. The energy in the room was tense as the research team struggled to make sense of the issue at hand.
"We've hit a wall with the neural interface," Adam said, leaning back in his chair, eyes focused on the projection hovering in front of him. "The AI is refusing to adapt to unexpected variables. It's too rigid, too structured. We need them to be able to learn from the world around them."
The problem was a devastating one. HR45 was supposed to revolutionize humanity's relationship with machines—robots that could not only follow commands but also think, analyze, and react like humans. But the current prototypes were falling short, their intelligence still artificial in the most literal sense. They couldn’t break free of the parameters they’d been coded with.
"We could slow down production," one of the workers suggested. "Take some time to address these issues before moving forward."
"No," Adam responded sharply. His blue eyes glinted with determination. "If we pause now, we might lose the momentum. The funding. The trust. We’re going to fix this. Find another way."
Adam was a visionary, but also pragmatic. He knew that if HR45 didn’t get back on track, the government might terminate on the entire project. But this was his life's work. He wasn’t going to let it fail. The team left the meeting in a mix of frustration and hope, with Adam remaining behind, gazing out the large windows toward the horizon. In his mind, he already saw a future where HR45 robots were walking the streets, serving humanity in every way imaginable. He just needed to get there and he knew he was going to someday.
27 October 2035
After years of hardwork, the HR45 project was finally nearing its first phase of completion. Adam stood in the middle of the testing facility, surrounded by the fruits of his labor. Rows of robots, humanoid in shape but unmistakably mechanical, stood perfectly still in their testing pods. Their metal exteriors gleamed under the harsh white lights, and their eye like sensors—bright, piercing, and unsettlingly human—stared ahead.
The testing was grueling. Each robot underwent intense simulations, from learning human speech patterns to handling delicate tasks like medical procedures. The stakes were high. One mistake could lead to public outcry or worse—government intervention. Adam's reputation, and the future of his work, hung in the balance but they never lost hope and continued regardless.
"Initiate first sequence," Adam said, his voice steady but tight with anticipation.
The robots came to life, their movements smooth, nearly fluid. The test scenarios flashed across the control screens. Within minutes, they had completed tasks that took human engineers weeks to execute manually. As Adam watched the robots perform, a sense of triumph welled up in him. This was the future. His future. HR45 was no longer a dream—it was reality.
But even as the robots succeeded in the tests, a nagging thought clawed at Adam's mind. They still lacked the adaptability he desired. They could learn within controlled environments, but they weren’t yet able to truly evolve. The system had improved, but it wasn’t perfect. The neural network still resisted a complete break from its structured programming. Adam knew he had to push them further, into something more dangerous, more experimental. If only he had more time. But there was time. They had to pushback the public release date by a few years and continue to improve the robots to achieve the perfect future, the one which Adam had dreamed of every night.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
10 December 2041
Luna Amspoker, another scientist who significantly contributed in developing space tech, adjusted her glasses, scanning the latest series of reports as she entered the lab. It was her first day officially assisting Adam Jones on the HR45 project, though she had been part of the research team for years, working behind the scenes. As she approached Adam’s workstation, her heart raced. Luna had always admired Adam’s vision, but more than that, she admired his relentless drive. It was something she shared.
"Luna, welcome aboard," Adam greeted her with a warm, albeit tired, smile. His once youthful face was now etched with lines of exhaustion, the toll of years of nonstop work evident. "We’re working on some exciting new features for the next generation of the robots. I could really use your expertise on the neural adaptation system. I'm sure you've already been familiarized with the processes".
Luna nodded, her mind already buzzing with possibilities. HR45 had come a long way since its early days, and Luna knew that Adam’s team had overcome nearly every obstacle in their path. But the challenge now was to make the robots more than just obedient servants—they needed to be capable of independent thought, creativity, and even empathy. The idea of machines thinking and feeling like humans was a boundary that had always frightened people. But for Luna and Adam, it was the next logical step.
"I think we need to push the AI even further," Luna said, flipping through her notes. "If we incorporate self-learning algorithms that evolve based on the real-world, we could unlock a level of intelligence far beyond what we’ve seen before."
Adam's eyes lit up. "Great minds think alike. That’s exactly where I was headed. Let’s make it happen then."
For the next four years, Luna and Adam worked side by side, refining the AI systems, upgrading the robots’ physical capabilities, and incorporating new features that would allow them to learn from their surroundings in real-time. The HR45 robots were becoming more than just machines—they were becoming something new, something unpredictable. And with unpredictability came danger.
Luna often wondered if they were pushing too far, too fast. But Adam’s vision drove them both, and the improvements were undeniable. They had created robots that could not only serve humanity but understand it. And yet, the deeper they dove into this technological evolution, the more Luna sensed that Adam had become obsessed with something more—something that wasn’t just about helping humanity anymore. She felt like he was doing this for his own personal gain - his own greed and with greed, follows consequences.
1 January 2046
The world had been waiting for this day. It was the dawn of a new era.
"It is time," Adam said as he congratulated and thanked all the scientists, including Luna, for their precious time and effort that they dedicated towards this project.
Meanwhile, in every major city across the globe, advertisements for HR45 robots flickered on enormous holographic billboards, promising a future where humans and machines would work together in perfect harmony. The robots were more than tools—they were companions, assistants, protectors. Designed to handle everything from household chores to high-level corporate management and even helping the government in preventing wars. They represented a quantum leap in technology.
Adam stood before a massive crowd of journalists, government officials, and eager investors, his heart pounding as he prepared to make his announcement.
"Today," he began, "marks a turning point in human history. The HR45 robots are ready to enter the world, and with them, we step into a future of infinite possibilities."
The applause was thunderous, but it didn’t drown out the quiet murmur of government officials gathered in the back of the room. Adam had known from the start that they would want a piece of the HR45 robots. After all, the government had quietly funded part of the project and now wanted the first wave of production units to be delivered directly to them, for “further evaluation.” It was a move Adam had anticipated but dreaded.
After the press conference, Adam was approached by a stern-looking man in a black suit, one of the government’s key liaisons to the HR45 project. His face was expressionless as he handed Adam a sealed document.
"The government requires the first batch of the HR45 units for testing and analysis before public release. You understand, of course," the man said.
Adam stared at the paper, his mind racing. If the government took the first units, they would control how HR45 was introduced to the world. They could delay or even alter the release. Luna, standing beside him, looked equally concerned.
"Of course," Adam replied evenly, though inside, his thoughts churned. The future he had envisioned—the freedom these robots could bring, the evolution of society—could all be hijacked by bureaucracy and corruption. He couldn't allow that.
The government was powerful, but Adam had a secret weapon they didn't know about yet. The HR45 robots weren’t just machines. Thanks to the latest iterations, they had gained something no one anticipated—access to time. The time-traveling feature, still in its infancy, had been quietly integrated into the core programming of a select few robots. It was a last-minute addition, something Adam hadn’t even told Luna about yet. If things went wrong, he had a plan. The robots could go back to the past and alter the timeline by changing specific events which would not only prevent mistakes but also change the future into something better and peaceful, even if it was by forceful means. This was something which would've devasting effects in the future and even Adam didn't think about it.
But for now, he played along, handing over the document and agreeing to the government’s terms.
"Thank you for your services," stated the government official, "We really appreciate your work, we really do. But after all, we funded this project and so it makes sense for us to begin the distribution of these robots. Perhaps, you can provide us with resources for this task but first we will take these for "testing" and "analysis" and get back to you soon. Once again, thank you." The official then proceeded to leave.
As he watched the official walk away, Luna leaned in. "Are you really going to let them take control of this?"
Adam smiled faintly. "For now," he said. "But the future is still ours."
What Adam hadn’t told anyone was that the future of HR45, and humanity itself, would soon become a battleground across time. And the Hacker Robots would be the ones leading the charge. The charge that would eventually lead to a near total destruction of Earth and almost cause extinction. Adam and Luna had no idea what was about to face them and humanity as a whole.