Max: Jeez! Just how many nanobots are inside this thing anyway?
Ken: According to this bot, about 410 bots worth now.
Max: Seriously?
Ken: Yes. Of course, with every clump of nanobots you deactivate, the giant spider bot becomes just a bit smaller.
Max: Sheesh.
Ken: Good job, irregardless.
Max: (sarcastically) Thanks.
Max turned back to firing bolts at it.
Rose suddenly started.
Rose: Luke! About a kilometre ahead! There's some people there. And also in the West. But the East seems empty.
Luke: Got it!
Luke made a quick turn.
Luke: This'll take a little longer, so hold on.
Tiffany simply looked at the spider bot. It was closing in on them again.
Tiffany: Rose!
Rose: Right.
She stopped trying to sense people's presence and once again made a very sudden psychic burst near the robots legs. It tripped itself again and fell.
Max: Awesome Rose!
Rose: Thanks
Tiffany: Yeah, good job. (thinking: Yeah, this seems manageable.)
Ken: Fascinating....
Tiffany turned to Ken, who was busy with the robot piece.
Tiffany: Anything, Ken?
Ken: Many interesting but unfortunately now irrelevant pieces of information.
Tiffany: And stopping the laser?
Ken: 33% done.
Tiffany: Great.
The robot could be seen getting up from a distance.
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Max: Here we go again.
Rose: Hmph.
The spider bot rushed at them again. Just as before. But this time, it kept its distance just by a bit.
Max prepared to fire more bolts of energy. However, this time, the robot began to prepare yet another laser while chasing after them.
Tiffany: Rose!
Rose: On it.
Rose tried to suddenly trip it again, but this time, it would not fall. Its legs had begun to resist the force much more than before.
Rose: Uhhhh.... Guys.....
Tiffany: Something wrong?
Rose: It's not working.
Tiffany: Huh. (thinking: But how?) Ken?
Ken: It would appear that this robot's ability to adapt is even better than I'd anticipated. Though at this point, I shouldn't be surprised.
The spider bot aimed its eye directly at them and approached them at a slower pace.
Rose: What are we gonna do?
Tiffany: Rose, keep at it!
Max: C'mon... c'mon....
Max continued to fire lightning bolts at it. Even more desperately at that point.
Tiffany: Ken?
Ken: 62%
Tiffany: Dang it!
She turned to look at the road that lay in front of her. They still had a ways to go before Luke could make another turn.
Tiffany: (thinking: C'mon... think, think.....)
She was suddenly halted by Luke.
Luke: Tiff! Take the wheel!
Tiffany: Huh?
Luke: Take the wheel!
Tiffany: But... but I...
Luke let go of the wheel and jumped into the back of the van.
Luke: It's alright. I've got this.
Tiffany hurriedly grabbed the van's steering wheel, all the while wondering about what in the world Luke was thinking.
Tiffany: Luke.
Luke walked past Ken, Rose, and at the entrance to the back door, he tapped Max.
Luke: Hey, move over.
Max: Huh.
Luke stared the glowing red eye directly and held onto the sides of the back door.
Tiffany: Luke. What are you doing?
Max: Yeah, what's going on?
Rose: Luke...
Luke: Stand to the sides of the van.
Ken had already made heads and tails of his plan, and he simply braced himself for what was to come.
The laser was fired, and Luke jumped right before it was fired. Instead of the van getting hit, it was Luke.
The laser hit him just as he had jumped into the air and was a few metres from the van. However, after the impact, he was pushed back into the van at such a terrific speed that he sent the whole van hurtling forward.
Rose, Max and Tiffany: Luke!
Tiffany struggled to control the vehicle as it basically flew forward. This was her first time driving, after all.
The van flew into the air before landing several hundred metres away.
Tiffany stopped the van, as did everyone stop what they were doing to take a look at Luke.
Tiffany: Luke!
Max: Luke!
Rose: Luke!
His body was searing hot. His shirt had been burned off entirely. His pants were still on but were mostly burnt. But he was breathing, although also groaning.
Ken took a moment to observe him before continuing with his hack.
Tiffany: Luke, are you ok?
Luke: Ugh. Yeah. yeah. I just need a sec.
He held his head in pain. His body was so hot that it burnt some parts of the back of the seat.
Tiffany: Luke...
She felt the sting of guilt. After all, she had said that he could leave the rest to them.
And the spider bot would not give them rest.
Max: Dang it.
Max got up and prepared to fire off another bolt before Ken suddenly spoke.
Ken: 100% I've deactivated its lasers.
Ken took another look at Luke before continuing.
Ken: What's next, chief?
Tiffany looked directly at the approaching spider bot and back at Luke before jumping back onto the wheel.
Tiffany: Proceed as planned.