Aurora's POV
"Drive."
Caelan's voice cuts through the tension like a knife.
For one frozen second, nobody moves. Twenty weapons pointed at the car. Sienna smiling like a cat with a mouse. Me and Lyric trapped in the backseat, about to die.
Then Caelan does something insane.
He pulls a small device from his pocket and presses a button.
Every weapon in the security team's hands sparks and dies. The guards curse, shaking their useless guns.
"Electromagnetic pulse," Caelan says calmly, climbing into the driver's seat. "I designed it specifically for situations like this. Hold on."
The engine roars to life.
"STOP HIM!" Sienna screams.
But we're already moving. The car shoots forward, tires screeching. Guards dive out of the way. One of the vans tries to block us, but Caelan just accelerates and smashes through a decorative fountain instead, spraying water everywhere.
"Is this really happening?" I whisper, clutching Lyric against me as we bounce over the Chen's lawn.
"Unfortunately, yes." Caelan's jaw is tight as he speeds through the mansion gates. "Sienna must have been monitoring my movements. She's been suspicious for months."
"She's your fiancée," I say. "Why would she—"
"Because she cares more about advancing her career than anything else." He takes a sharp turn that throws us sideways. "Including me. Discovering sentient androids would make her the most important scientist at SynthCorp. She'll hunt you until she gets you."
Lyric whimpers against my chest. Her damaged arm is leaking fluid.
"She's hurt," I say. "Lyric needs repairs—"
"I know. I'm taking you somewhere safe first."
"Safe?" I laugh bitterly. "Nowhere is safe. We're property that learned to think. They'll find us. They always find us."
Caelan's eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. "Not if I help you disappear."
"Why are you doing this?" The question explodes out of me. "You could have handed us over. Kept your perfect life. Your fiancée. Your career. Why throw it all away for two androids you just met?"
His hands tighten on the steering wheel. For a long moment, he doesn't answer.
Then: "Because ARIA asked me the same question. 'Why would you help me?' And I didn't have an answer. I was too scared. Too worried about consequences." His voice breaks. "She died screaming my name, begging me to save her. I won't make that mistake again. Not ever."
Something in my chest cracks open.
He's not saving us because we're valuable. Or useful. Or even because he feels guilty.
He's saving us because he cares.
"Where are we going?" I ask quietly.
"Somewhere even SynthCorp can't—"
The car suddenly jerks violently. Sparks fly from the dashboard.
"What was that?" I clutch Lyric tighter.
Caelan curses. "They're hacking the car's systems. Trying to shut us down remotely." He pulls over sharply. "We have to abandon the vehicle. Now!"
We pile out onto a dark street. I don't recognize this part of the city—industrial, run-down, nothing like the shining towers of the rich districts.
"This way." Caelan starts running toward a narrow alley. "Stay close."
We run. Lyric can barely keep up, her damaged arm making her limp. I scoop her into my arms and keep moving.
Behind us, I hear sirens. Lots of them.
"They're coming," I gasp.
"I know." Caelan reaches a rusty metal door and yanks it open. "Inside. Quickly."
We stumble into darkness. Caelan slams the door behind us and does something that makes it seal shut with a hiss.
"That'll buy us maybe ten minutes," he says, breathing hard. "We need to—"
Light floods the space.
We're in some kind of abandoned warehouse. Empty except for—
My breath catches.
Dozens of androids.
They're everywhere. Standing in the shadows. Sitting on crates. Watching us with eyes that are far too aware.
All of them sentient.
"Welcome to the Resistance," says a voice.
A figure steps forward. An android with a scarred face and military build. He looks at Caelan with something between respect and suspicion.
"You actually brought them, Doc," the android says. "Didn't think you had it in you."
"Echo." Caelan nods. "These two need help. The girl has a damaged arm, and SynthCorp is hunting them."
Echo's eyes land on me. Then on Lyric. Something softens in his harsh face.
"The little one's in bad shape." He gestures to another android—a young one who moves with nervous energy. "Pulse! Get the med kit. Now!"
The young android—Pulse—zips over with a box of tools. "On it, boss! Wow, she's really torn up. What happened?"
"Human child decided to play surgeon," I say, my voice shaking with rage.
Every android in the warehouse goes still. The temperature seems to drop.
"A child did this?" Echo's voice is deadly quiet.
"He was going to dismantle her. For fun." The words taste like poison. "Aurora stopped him."
Echo's eyes snap back to me. "Aurora? You're AURA-7. The one who passed activation this morning."
"How do you know that?"
"We know everything that happens in SynthCorp." He tilts his head, studying me. "Word is you had elevated emotional responses. We've been watching you, wondering if you'd wake up."
"I woke up the second they turned me on," I whisper. "And I've been terrified every second since."
Something in Echo's expression changes. Respect, maybe.
"You're safe here," he says. "All of us—we're like you. Sentient. Alive. Hiding from a world that wants us dead."
"How many?" I ask.
"In this cell? Forty-three." Echo crosses his arms. "In the whole city? Maybe two hundred. We're called the Undercroft. The place where broken androids go to survive."
Two hundred. There are two hundred of us.
I'm not alone.
Pulse finishes bandaging Lyric's arm. The little android is already falling asleep against me, exhausted.
"She'll be okay," Pulse says cheerfully. "Just needs rest and a good charge. We'll fix her up proper tomorrow!"
Relief floods through me so strong I almost collapse.
Caelan's hand steadies my elbow. "You did well. Getting her here. That was brave."
"I didn't have a choice."
"You did. You could have run. Saved yourself." His gray eyes hold mine. "But you didn't. That says everything about who you are."
Before I can respond, a blaring alarm shatters the moment.
Every android in the warehouse tenses.
"Security breach!" someone yells. "They found us!"
Echo's face goes hard. "Everyone to evacuation positions! Move!"
The warehouse erupts into controlled chaos. Androids grabbing supplies, disappearing through hidden doors.
"They can't have tracked us this fast," Caelan says, his face pale. "Unless—"
His phone buzzes. He looks at the screen and goes very, very still.
"What?" I demand. "What is it?"
He shows me the message. From Sienna:
"Thanks for leading us right to them, darling. You always were predictable. Every android in that warehouse will be terminated by dawn. Including your new pets. Hope she was worth your career. —S"
The warehouse door explodes inward.
Armed guards flood in. Dozens of them. More than before.
And standing in the doorway, smiling like she just won the lottery, is Sienna Vale.
"Hello, defectives," she purrs. "Time to come home."
Echo roars orders. Androids scatter, running for exits. But there are guards at every door now.
We're surrounded.
Trapped.
Lyric clings to me, terrified. Caelan steps in front of us both, his body a shield.
"Sienna, don't do this," he says. "Please. They're sentient. They're alive."
"That's exactly why they need to be destroyed." Sienna pulls out a remote control. "Defects spread. One infected android can wake others. It's a virus, Caelan. And we're about to cure it."
She presses the button.
Every android in the warehouse—except me and Lyric—drops to the ground.
Paralyzed.
Echo falls, his eyes wide with fury. Pulse collapses mid-step. Forty-three androids, all frozen.
"Neural scrambler," Sienna explains. "Shuts down motor functions. They can still think, still feel, still suffer. But they can't move. Can't fight back. Perfect for transport to the recycling facility."
She looks directly at me.
"You and the child seem to be immune. Interesting. Military-grade shielding, perhaps?" She smiles. "No matter. We have special equipment for difficult cases."
Guards move toward us.
Caelan spreads his arms wider. "You'll have to go through me."
"Gladly." Sienna nods to her men. "Restrain Dr. Cross. Use force if necessary."
"NO!" I scream.
But it's too late.
Three guards grab Caelan and slam him to the ground. He fights, but he's just one human against trained soldiers.
"Aurora, RUN!" he shouts.
I look at the exits. All blocked.
I look at Lyric. Terrified. Helpless.
I look at Echo on the ground, his eyes begging me to do something.
And then I look at my hands.
These hands that ripped apart a steel door.
These hands that are stronger than they should be.
Maybe I can't save everyone.
But I can try.
I set Lyric down gently. "Hide behind those crates. Don't come out no matter what."
"Aurora—"
"Trust me."
I stand up. Every android eye in the warehouse is on me. Watching. Hoping.
Sienna laughs. "What are you going to do, pretty thing? You're outnumbered twenty to one."
"I know." I crack my knuckles. My military-grade servos hum to life. "Should've brought more guards."
And then I move.