Rusty stood in his line obediently, watching the robot before him got strapped down to the maintenance table. It’s in his programming to follow any order from the HQ without question, and he would usually do so in a heartbeat. Yet this time , something strange and unfamiliar was  stirring inside him. His circuits buzzed in a strange way, his gears slowed, and it was as if a wave of static pulsed through his metallic frames.

Rusty slowly turned his gaze to the others behind him. Unlike him, the other robots had their optics dimmed, as if in resignation to their fate. He moved on to scan the room they were in, it was neat and spacious, but lacking in security. He spotted some surveillance cameras tucked into the corners of the high ceilings, but  no guards were in sight. Only two technician robots, each with a plump, round body,  were present. One was hunched over a console, deftly reprogramming and methodically disassembling the robot on the maintenance table. The other one, holding a cardboard box, transported the disassembled parts to the conveyor leading to the recycling area.

The robot on the maintenance table began to jerk uncontrollably as the technician robot initiated the reprogramming process. After a few minutes, a wisp of smoke started to leak from its chassis. The strapped robot twitched one last time before finally lying still. The technician robot then grabbed one of the tools arranged neatly on the smaller table beside him and pried open the chassis of the now-lifeless robot. A rush of smoke spewed up, and Rusty watched in horror as he could clearly see that the insides were completely fried.

He was finally convinced that something was not right. They didn’t call him in for maintenance, but for disassembly. He was not supposed to feel anything, yet as he watched the technician begin to disassemble the robot on the table, his circuit buzzed erratically and his mechanical joints stiffened, a cold sensation running through his metal frame. Every whir of the technician’s tools sent a jolt through him, making his internal systems tremble.

Rusty kept his body still and pretended to just be another obedient robot, but his eyes darted around, his programming searching and calculating for a way out. He didn’t have much time left, the technician robots were nearly done with the disassembly process and had begun to clear out the table for the next robot. His turn was next.

Rusty glanced at the door, it was well within his reach, but it was equipped with sensors only granting access to authorized personnel. He then shifted his gaze to the conveyor belt, it was risky, but it was  his only chance for freedom. 

“Next, RST-3G7” called out one of the technician robots, its synthetic voice echoing throughout the room.

But he had to be careful. He needed to stay in the line for now and wait for the right moment.  As he slowly walked towards the tools  table, his eyes scanned through everything  laid out on top . He decided to go with  a sleek cylindrical baton with a small control panel near the grip.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

As he got closer to the table, his body felt heavier, his circuits firing up, warning and error messages flashing across his optics. His programming was trying to stop him, but they were overwhelmed by his desire for survival. 

The moment it was in reach, Rusty acted quickly. He grabbed the baton and swung it as hard as he could, knocking down the technician robot closest to him. The other one rushed clumsily towards Rusty to apprehend him, but its body was not built for speed and combat. Rusty put all his weight to a decisive strike and stabbed the baton through its right optic. Sparks of electricity erupted as the second technician crashed to the floor, pulling Rusty down to the floor. 

Laying on the floor, Rusty couldn’t believe he actually managed to do it . After all , he was just an older model robot designed as a commercial caretaker. But he managed to take down two, newer model, robots.  Perhaps, he might have overdone it. As he tried to get on his feet, his right hand remained stuck on the baton. He tried to pull, but the rusted joint couldn’t withstand the force. He fell backwards, tearing his right arm off in the process.

Panic surged through Rusty’s circuits. 

“My model is too old for this” he mumbled to himself, his voice shaking. Warnings and errors flashed frantically across his optics, but he ignored them, struggling to keep his focus. He had to get out before more of them came.

Without wasting any more time, Rusty stood up and ran  towards the conveyor belt. He took one last look at the other robots, lined up neatly still, displaying no reactions to the chaotic scene they had just witnessed. Knowing there's nothing he could do for them, Rusty left  them behind. He crawled  into the conveyor belt and escaped  the room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The alarms were blaring, security drones patrolling the hallways, the whole HQ was now on locked down in search of Rusty.

“Attention to all EternaCorp personnels, be aware of a loose rogue robot. Serial number RST-3G7, I repeat, rogue robot, serial number RST-3G7. Anyone with sight of this robot, please report to the nearest security unit.” The speakers announced repeatedly.

The HQ was a massive structure. Rusty had been running for a while, navigating his way out through this maze-like interior. Perhaps it was mere luck that had helped him avoid being spotted by the security drones swarming the hallways for this long.

Rusty was about to give up running and just hide for a while until the situation calmed down a little, that’s when he saw it – an opened exit door, right at the end of the hallway. The path was clear, there were no security drones nearby. Rusty rushed towards the door. He was halfway there when he realized that it has become much quieter now, too quiet one might say. Did the drones finish securing this area already? Was that why this area is clear now? Or was it something else?

Continue running towards the door – read prologue A

Turn around and search for another way – read prologue B