Chapter 3
Chapter 3 — The Forest
Max escaped the supermarket and raced toward the forest.
The abandoned city quickly disappeared behind him.
Tall trees surrounded the road ahead, their branches stretching across the sky.
Max looked back.
The robots were still following.
He pushed his wheels harder.
The forest was the only place where he might be able to lose them.
Max entered the trees.
The robots followed.
Rockets flew between the branches.
Max swerved around trees as explosions shook the ground behind him.
A rocket struck a tree nearby, sending pieces of bark flying.
Max didn't stop.
He continued deeper into the forest until the city was completely out of sight.
There were no buildings here.
No roads.
No machines.
Just trees.
Max slowed down.
He checked his battery.
It was still enough to keep him moving, but he knew he couldn't waste energy.
Then he remembered the embryos inside his chest.
The cryogenic freezer was still running.
As long as it stayed powered, the embryos would remain safe.
But if his own battery became too low, he would eventually have to stop.
Max looked toward the darkening sky.
Night was approaching.
He needed to find somewhere safe.
Max continued through the forest until he found a small cave between several large rocks.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was better than staying out in the open.
Max entered the cave and moved deeper inside.
He shut down everything he didn't need.
The cave became completely silent.
Outside, something moved through the forest.
Max stayed completely still.
A robot walked past the entrance.
Its sensors scanned the area.
Max didn't move.
The robot continued.
A few moments later, another passed.
Then another.
They were searching for him.
Max waited.
Eventually, the sounds became quieter.
He remained inside the cave until he was certain the robots had moved farther away.
Then he looked down at the plasma weapon he'd taken from the supermarket.
He had no idea how much energy it had left.
He checked its power indicator.
It was already running low.
“Great,” Max muttered.
He set the weapon beside him.
He couldn't do anything about its energy supply right now.
He would have to be careful with every shot.
Morning finally came.
Sunlight entered the cave.
Max's own systems began recovering as the light reached him.
He waited until he had enough energy to continue.
Then he left the cave.
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Max moved between the trees.
He was getting closer to the bunker.
Then he heard something.
A mechanical sound.
Max stopped.
A robot stepped out from behind a tree.
It hadn't seen him yet.
Max moved silently.
Before the robot could react, Max attacked.
The machine collapsed.
Max immediately ran.
But another robot was nearby.
It turned toward the damaged machine.
Its sensors scanned the area.
“Target located.”
Max heard the transmission.
“Oh, come on.”
The forest suddenly erupted with movement.
Flying robots appeared above the trees.
Their weapons locked onto Max.
Rockets streaked toward him.
Max ran.
He swerved between trees as explosions erupted behind him.
A plasma blast struck the ground beside him.
Max jumped over the crater and kept going.
Then he raised the stolen plasma weapon.
He aimed at one of the flying robots.
He fired.
The blast struck the robot.
It exploded in midair, sending debris into several others.
The remaining robots lost formation.
Some crashed into the trees.
Others struggled to stay airborne.
Max kept running.
He fired again.
Another robot fell.
But more were already arriving.
There were too many.
Max looked ahead.
The bunker was getting closer.
He couldn't let them follow him there.
If they discovered the bunker, everything inside would be exposed.
The embryos.
The equipment.
The technology.
Everything.
Max suddenly saw a massive tree ahead.
He turned toward it.
The robots followed.
Max climbed the tree as quickly as he could.
The branches shook beneath his weight.
He reached a high branch.
Several robots surrounded the tree.
Max looked down.
One was directly beneath him.
He jumped.
He landed on the robot.
The machine panicked and fired its plasma weapon.
The blast struck another robot.
It fell from the sky.
Max attacked the robot beneath him and disabled it.
He jumped away.
Only one robot remained.
The final robot charged toward him.
Max tried to dodge.
The plasma weapon fired.
The blast struck his arm.
Metal shattered.
His arm hung uselessly at his side.
Max lost his balance.
He fell from the tree.
He hit the ground hard.
The remaining robot landed nearby.
Max tried to stand.
His damaged arm sparked.
The robot began moving toward him.
Max raised the plasma weapon.
He aimed.
He pulled the trigger.
Nothing happened.
Max looked at the weapon.
Its power indicator flickered.
A warning appeared.
LOW ENERGY.
Max stared at it.
The enemy robot continued approaching.
Max pulled the trigger again.
Nothing.
The weapon was out of power.
The robot raised its own weapon.
Max looked toward the forest.
The bunker was close.
But he was trapped.
His arm was damaged.
The plasma weapon was useless.
And the only thing standing between the enemy and the embryos was him.
The robot took another step.
Max stared at it.
For the first time since he had escaped the fortress...
he had no idea what to do.
TO BE CONTINUED...
