ACTIVATION

by M. G. GILIBERT

  No one reacts. They stare at the screen in front of them, looking desperately passive to what GAIA is saying.

  But their brains are actually extremely active. They focus some of their attention to interfere with their implants and the devices around them and at the same time they communicate telepathically as they did in their cells.

  They all know from their experience at the laboratory and from the robot’s visit in Byron’s cell that they need to keep a low profile and show they are in full submission to GAIA’s authority.

  Until they discover more about their situation, this is the approach they are adopting.

  Meanwhile, the storm’s intensity is decreasing and begins to move away from the Metropolis. The construction efforts will soon be able to resume in the city.

  At the base, the storm, while still around, is now weak enough so the mission to the factory can finally be launched.

  CHAPTER 27

  “Everyone! It seems like the storm is getting weaker. There doesn’t seem to be any foreseeable weather issues. And there are no human or GAIA-related threats around. It’s time to gear up and go. I want everyone at the elevator in 10 minutes. Say goodbye to your wives and families and let’s go,” Don says to the team.

  The team is made of Don, Jack and another engineer as they are the ones who know exactly what they will need from the factory, John and another soldier, and Henry for any advice or knowledge he can provide when they are at the factory.

  Gabe and Dave are also part of the mission. Don does not expect to encounter much danger and therefore he believes this mission will be a good first-hand field experience for the two boys.

  Needless to say that despite how obvious their presence in the team now seems to be, extensive negotiation skills were required from the boys to get to that result.

  Not only did they have to convince Don, but also Dave’s father, Jack. And once the fathers finally agreed, the boys had to convince their mothers, Pam and Jen. This required a lot more subtlety and it alone consumed most of their time during the past couple of days.

  Pam and Jen, while not comfortable with the decision they had to make eventually realized that the mission would normally not require the use of guns. This was one of the main arguments they used to make up their mind. They also realized that as more attacks are launched against GAIA, the more likely GAIA is to retaliate. Practice will certainly be beneficial to the boys when the real fights begin.

  Tough times are upon the base and the mothers know it.

  But before everyone leaves, Pam and Jen spend a few minutes with their husbands to reiterate that they should preserve the boys as much as possible from any immediate danger.

  The only one who clearly doesn’t want to see Dave leave is of course Sonia. She has just recently fallen in love with him and she doesn’t want to lose him. She makes him promise to her that he will be back soon, and alive. Dave promises.

  They kiss one last time and off Dave goes to meet the rest of the team.

  Sonia cannot take her eyes off Dave as he walks down the hallway. From where she stands, she no longer sees a boy but a man. A man who will do what it takes to protect her and the people around. She is proud of him. She feels fortunate and also surprisingly aroused to call this modern times’ knight her ‘man’.

  The entire team is now assembled in front of the elevator. Don gives the final instructions and they climb in the lift.

  They will travel in two groups.

  One in the armed vehicle Don and John used when they went searching for Jen and Gabe, and one in a larger armored military truck. This truck will be used to carry everything they will be able to find and steal from the factory.

  The past couple of days have been spent on studying the 3D maps of the facility the drones created when Don and John were there. Everyone has a clear mental picture of the facility and everyone knows what they need to do and where they need to go.

  As time is of the essence, it has been decided that they will not stop along the way and drive straight to the factory. Everyone is prepared for that. The itinerary has been reviewed many times and everyone now knows the route by heart.

  Each driver will drive two hours and then another driver will take over. With four people in each vehicle, it means that everyone will be guaranteed to rest for six hours before going behind the wheel. With this plan, and accounting for potential difficulties due to the weather conditions on the way, Don expects to cut the trip down to two days only. Two days instead of the three it took him and John the first time.

  And Don was right, or lucky, as the entire group arrives during the late hours of the second day. The timing could not be better. As the sun goes down, it makes room for darkness. It will provide them natural cover and help hide their presence once they are inside the facility.

  Dave and Gabe will stay behind for now. They will each be operating the surveillance drones. They practiced back at the base, and maybe it is just a generation thing, but they are far more efficient with the drones than most of the soldiers. Because of that, and also to protect them, they are in charge of guiding the rest of the group to their destination. They are tasked to avoid anything that looks like surveillance cameras and any robot that might be patrolling the area. They are the group’s eyes, and for that reason, their mission carries a huge responsibility.

  They are conscious of that and feel proud, despite the fact that they would love a more substantial piece of the action. Nevertheless, they treat their mission as critical and will accomplish it with all the discipline and rigor it requires.

  Before the group leaves, Dave and Gabe each throw a Sentinel drone in the air. They are the ones that provide an overall picture of the area. After a few minutes, both boys give the green light to the rest of the team.

  There is nothing on site. No robot and no truck outside. The facility looks deserted, but it is probably just that all robots went inside the buildings to take cover during the storm.

  As the boys do not notice any heat source, they report to the group that that the power is probably shut down. It should make the mission even easier, they comment.

  “This last comment, boys, you need to keep to yourself. Confidence is the mother of all mistakes. Never get too confident, or in your case, cocky,” Don says. “This is the first step that leads to failure and ultimately to defeat. Expect the unexpected, and always stay on your guards. There are no easy missions.”

  “Sorry, dad,” Gabe says.

  “Sorry, Sir,” Dave says.

  “Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Just tell us what you see and do not comment,” Don replies.

  Gabe and Dave’s behavior is quite normal actually, Henry thinks. In their first mission, they are probably so happy they found something interesting and so eager to make a positive contribution to the team and to prove they add value, that they forget basic rules and let their emotions speak for them.

  “Team 1, night vision goggles on and go. Team 2, goggles on. You will come to us when we have secured the area,” Don says.

  The first team is made of Don, the engineer, and another soldier. The three of them are familiar with guns. Despite his engineering degree, the engineer is first and foremost a professional soldier. They will go first and make sure there are no threats. The second team will only join them after they receive confirmation the area is clear. Their job is also to open everything that needs to be open and to create a safe way for the second team to follow.

  The second team is composed of Jack, Henry, and John. John will cover the back of the second team, while Jack and Henry will just have to walk, take cover when necessary, and follow the instructions given by Don or the boys in their headset.

  As they are ready to go, Dave and Gabe send the Hunter drones to the base. They will provide additional details and will help them guide the team more accurately.

  The group arrives at the facility and enters without any problem. They all hide behind concrete blocks, containers, walls, and anything that can help them p
rogress unnoticed.

  Their target is in front of them.

  According to the intelligence they have been gathering for the past few weeks, they are standing in front of the main warehouse and assembly line.

  The only thing separating them from the building is a vast open area.

  There is nothing to cover their progression. The building is just standing in the middle of the facility and surrounded by this empty zone. Regardless of where they enter the facility from, there is no other solution but to cross this area.

  “We do not detect the presence of motion detectors or any other surveillance system,” Gabe says to the team.

  As the Hunter drones hover over the team and stop in front of each building without triggering any alarm or a warning from the boys, Don finally decides to slowly stand up.

  After spending a minute standing, he begins to walk carefully towards the warehouse. With a sign from the hand, he notifies the team waiting for his command to follow him.

  As he reaches the front of the warehouse he signals to the rest of the team that they can come.

  A large metal door faces them and blocks the entrance to the warehouse. Not only does it look heavy, it also looks thick.

  There is no way they will be able to force it. Blowing it up is also out of the question. Their presence is currently probably still unknown and it needs to stay that way.

  But this does not appear as a real roadblock as they have studied the 3D maps for hours to determine the best strategy. They know there is another entry point. Pam is the one who actually came up with the idea.

  Just like John’s store at the village, the roof must have a weaker access point. And indeed, as they reviewed the pictures and maps, they noticed several large ventilation shafts on the roof. The decision was quickly made that in case an entry via the front door was not possible, they would then use the ventilation system.

  The time they spent preparing for this mission is already paying off. The team is ready and is already unpacking the tools necessary to climb on top of the building.

  It only takes the team a few minutes to set the system up and to reach the roof.

  From there, they quickly but silently move to the ventilation shaft. As planned, there is only a grid that separates the inside from the outside of the building. It is quickly taken care of despite its size and weight. And fortunately, as Dave and Gabe noticed, power is down and therefore crossing the large fan that would normally have blocked their progression inside the shaft is not a problem.

  The last grid that leads to the warehouse ceiling is taken care of and before the team sends a rope down to the ground, Don asks the boys to precede them with a Hunter drone.

  Don knows how difficult it will be for Gabe and Dave to control the drone down the shaft, but they have proven their ability numerous times back at the base and they should be able to pull this one off.

  Less than a minute later, the team, currently secured along the rope down the ventilation system, is passed by the drone.

  No one moves or even breathes. They do not want to create any interference or movement that would cause the drone to lose control and fall. And before they even start breathing again, the second drone follows. They did not expect it. Just like the first one, it swiftly goes down the system and exits through the opening created by Don.

  “Great job, boys,” Don murmurs. “Now spread out and tell us what you see.”

  “There is no movement,” Gabe says.

  “There are robots, though. But some of them are in spare parts, and the others seem to be just standing,” Dave adds.

  “Dave, move your drone towards the robots that are standing. Find out if they are active or not. Gabe, in the meantime, fly around and tell us what else you see,” Don says.

  “They seem to be inactive. I’m moving the drone back and forth right in front of them and nothing is happening,” Dave says.

  “Pretty much the same everywhere here. I think this is a staging area before the robots are loaded into the trucks. I don’t see any assembly line, though. Everything looks quiet,” Gabe says.

  “OK. We’re going in. Keep your eyes open,” Don says.

  After the last team member reaches the factory floor, the group spreads out to secure their immediate environment.

  Gabe was right. There is nothing here that looks like an assembly line. The team seems to be in the last stage of the manufacturing process, where finished goods are stored before being shipped to their destination.

  The team is not very comfortable being surrounded by so many robots. They look like they could come to life at any moment and if that was the case, the team would not stand a chance to escape. But the lack of power in the entire facility gives them hope that such a thing will not happen.

  They are also amazed by the sheer number of robots around them and by the variety of the models. While not familiar with the different types, it is clear to everyone that each type is dedicated to performing a specific task.

  Some appear more solid than the others. They are usually yellow or orange. Jack believes that they are probably of the industrial kind. Robots that would work in mines or in difficult environments. Henry confirms.

  Then, there are the soldiers. They are easily identified by the darker color of their body and also by the armor they seem to wear. But above all, by the weapons they carry. Don spends a lot of time in front of them. He is looking in detail at the kind of fighting capabilities or fire power they have.

  Despite his extensive knowledge about weapons, he does not recognize any of the ones the robots carry. He has never seen them before and he has no idea the kind of damage they can produce.

  As a strategist, it is very important for Don to know his enemy so he can adapt his forces to him.

  It also helps him to assess how much offensive response they may encounter should they one day engage in a direct fight against the robot-soldiers.

  For these reasons, Don takes one of the weapons from a robot and starts looking at it in detail. He weighs it with his hands, aims at an imaginary target, looks for the trigger, the charger, and everything else he knows to look at when checking a weapon. Compared to the ones he is used to, this one is a lot heavier. The ammunitions are also bigger than the usual 5.56 x 45mm caliber used for assault rifles by most armies. This is not reassuring.

  Other robots look simpler and lighter in appearance. They are of the assistant kind. Everyone recognizes them as they used to be one of CES’ best sellers.

  This version looks definitely enhanced, but the base is familiar to everyone because it is this kind that Jack and his team of engineers managed to reverse-engineer at the base. And because Jack is very familiar with this robot, it is his first choice of the ones the team will be taking back to the base.

  But before they take what they need, Don wants to walk deeper inside the facility. There must be more than what they currently see. The assembly line and the component storage area must be somewhere else. And indeed, as they move toward the back of the building, they come across what looks like an elevator. But as the power is down, they cannot use it. Fortunately, there is a path next to the elevator that seems to lead underground.

  It is wide and the slope is gentle.

  Before they go anywhere, Don asks Gabe to send his Hunter down the path and see where it leads to. After a few minutes spent listening to Gabe’s description of what the drone sees, they receive confirmation that the assembly line is one level down and seems to extend far beyond the outside walls of the warehouse.

  Once they arrive, they cannot help but be amazed by the size of the facility. Because of the lack of power, there is no light, but just looking through their night vision goggles gives them a sense of how vast the area is and the feeling of how small they are.

  Everything they need is in front of them. Between all the spare parts and the components, they are sure they will find all the items Jack needs. They take as much as they can carry and go back on the ground floor.

  Whe
n it comes to robots, they originally did not expect to bring any back from the factory.

  The original plan expected the facility to be fully operating and in order to remain as discreet as possible, they would only take components and parts. It is only later that they would have planned an attack against a convoy and steal a truck filled with robots.

  But the situation is different from the plan now. The facility is completely shut down. They also have a large truck at their disposal that they can use to transport of few robots. Doing so will not only save them time, it will also prevent them from taking the risk of attacking a convoy.

  The whole group rallies to this new direction. A quick assessment of their truck’s loading capacity leads them to believe that they can easily fit fifteen to twenty robots.

  It should be enough robots to send to a Metropolis and destroy what they believe GAIA is building from the inside.

  But now that Don has seen the robot-soldiers, he feels like they need to be part of the package as well. They will certainly be interesting to study and dissect to find out the best way to fight them in the future.

  But in order to bring the robots to the base, they need to get them out first. And this is a major issue as they are still confronted with the main door’s challenge. They don’t know how to open it. However, given that the factory is not operating, Don believes that nothing now really prevents them from destroying the door. They have enough weapons and explosives for that. And the noise should not raise attention provided robots are not patrolling around. On the downside, it will certainly send valuable information to GAIA that the factory has been attacked. The reaction will likely be increased security, which will therefore prevent them from coming back here again to source additional supplies.

  As Don is about to share his idea with the team and the boys, he hears Gabe’s voice in his headset.

  “Something is coming our way. Stay put,” Gabe says.