Chapter 9: My Robot Turned Against Me
"Turn it off!""
Marcus grabbed the technician's shoulder.
The technician rushed toward Iris's power switch.
I caught his arm.
"Wait!""
He looked at me.
"She's compromised!""
"I know. But if you cut the power while the external module is active, it could corrupt the original memory archive.""
Marcus stared at me.
"Then what do we do?""
I forced myself to breathe.
Think.
I had built Iris from individual systems. Every major function had an independent safety layer.
If Ethan had gained administrator access, he might control the software.
But he couldn't physically change every circuit.
Not remotely.
I knelt beside Iris.
"Open local diagnostic mode.""
"Unauthorized request.""
"Manual hardware authentication.""
"Request denied.""
I looked at the technician.
"Can you remove the external communication module without disconnecting the main processor?""
He examined the maintenance panel.
"Possibly. But I'll need the wiring diagram.""
I opened my development files.
"Here.""
He studied the diagram.
"There's a problem.""
"What?""
"The external module is connected to the primary power relay.""
I looked at the circuit.
My stomach dropped.
Ethan had modified the wiring.
If the module was removed incorrectly, it could shut down the entire system.
"Can you isolate the relay?""
"Not without opening the lower housing.""
I glanced at Iris.
Her screen displayed a countdown.
*BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT: INITIALIZING.*
Then she spoke.
"Maya Carter. Please answer the following questions.""
I froze.
"What questions?""
"Do you believe your family has treated you fairly?""
The room went silent.
Marcus looked at me.
Iris continued.
"Do you believe your father prioritizes your needs?""
I stared at the screen.
Ethan was using the behavioral model to provoke an emotional response.
He was testing the system on me.
I swallowed.
"That's not part of your original programming.""
"Please answer.""
"No.""
"Refusal recorded.""
A new line appeared.
*SUBJECT RESPONSE: DEFENSIVE.*
My hands curled into fists.
"Stop analyzing me.""
"Your emotional state indicates elevated distress.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"Disconnect it!""
I shook my head.
"He's trying to make us panic.""
Iris continued.
"Would you like assistance resolving your family conflict?""
I almost laughed.
"You're not my therapist.""
"Would you like to receive a personalized recommendation?""
"No.""
"Refusal recorded.""
The screen changed.
A photograph appeared.
It showed my father standing beside Vanessa at their wedding.
I stared.
Iris had never stored that photograph.
Then another appeared.
Brielle and me at a family birthday party.
Another.
My mother.
I felt my throat tighten.
My mother had died when I was nine.
The photograph showed her holding me in the garden of our old house.
I hadn't seen it in years.
"Where did you get that?"" I whispered.
"Personal archive accessed.""
Marcus looked horrified.
"He's accessing private data.""
I stepped closer.
"Delete it.""
"Request denied.""
A message appeared.
*PERSONAL MEMORY DATA: TRANSFER COMPLETE.*
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Marcus.
"He's taking everything.""
The technician finally opened the lower housing.
"I need the original wiring diagram!""
I handed him the file.
"Red cable, second connection. That's the external module.""
He reached inside.
Then stopped.
"There's another connection.""
"What?""
"An additional power feed.""
I leaned closer.
Someone had installed a small secondary battery.
It wasn't in my original design.
"That's the override backup," I whispered.
The technician nodded.
"If I disconnect the wrong wire, the system will keep running.""
Iris's screen changed again.
A video appeared.
Vanessa.
She was sitting in what looked like a private office.
Her hair was perfectly styled, and she was smiling directly at the camera.
"Hello, Maya.""
I froze.
The video was live.
Vanessa leaned closer.
"I imagine you're very upset right now.""
I stared at the screen.
"Where are you?""
She smiled.
"Somewhere you can't reach.""
"Give me back control of my robot.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Your robot? That's an interesting way to describe company property.""
"You know it belongs to me.""
"Ownership is a complicated thing, sweetheart.""
"Not when I have the original files.""
Her smile disappeared.
"Do you really think a few old development records will protect you?""
"Yes.""
She leaned back.
"Then perhaps you should ask your father about the other documents he signed.""
I turned.
Dad stood near the door.
"What documents?""
Vanessa smiled again.
"Tell her, Daniel.""
Dad looked at the screen.
His face had gone pale.
"Vanessa, stop.""
"Tell her about the guardianship agreement.""
My stomach dropped.
"What guardianship agreement?""
Dad closed his eyes.
Vanessa continued.
"Your father signed a document granting me temporary authority over certain financial and educational matters while you were a minor.""
I looked at Dad.
"Is that true?""
He nodded slowly.
"Yes. It was a standard legal arrangement after the marriage.""
"Did it give her ownership of my inventions?""
"No.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Not directly.""
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
She leaned toward the camera.
"It meant I could manage your grant funding, sign certain contracts on your behalf, and authorize development agreements.""
My chest tightened.
"So you used it to steal my work.""
"I used the authority your father gave me.""
Dad stepped forward.
"That agreement was never intended for this.""
Vanessa looked at him.
"Intentions don't change signatures.""
For the first time, I understood how carefully she had planned everything.
She hadn't needed to forge my signature.
She had used the authority my father had willingly handed her.
The technician spoke quietly.
"Maya, I need you to look at this.""
He showed me a tiny connector beneath the battery.
It had a small engraved symbol.
A circle crossed by a diagonal line.
I recognized it immediately.
The original Companion Research security mark.
"That's the legacy diagnostic port.""
Marcus leaned closer.
"How do you know?""
"It was included in the original processor design. But it was supposed to be disabled.""
He examined the connector.
"Can it be used to regain control?""
"Maybe.""
I opened my laptop and searched the development archive.
There was an old technical manual.
A hidden section.
*LOCAL RECOVERY PROCEDURE.*
I read the instructions.
Then looked at the technician.
"We need to connect the recovery port to the original processor.""
He shook his head.
"The external module is still active.""
"Then we'll have to interrupt its power feed first.""
"That could shut everything down.""
I looked at Iris.
Her screen showed another message.
*BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT COMPLETE.*
Then:
*SUBJECT MAYA CARTER: NONCOMPLIANT.*
I felt anger rise inside me.
"That's enough.""
I looked at the technician.
"Do it.""
He carefully disconnected the secondary battery.
Iris's display flickered.
The room went dark around the machine.
For one terrible second, nothing happened.
Then a small blue light appeared beneath her screen.
"Local recovery mode activated.""
I exhaled.
Marcus moved closer.
"Can you restore the original administrator?""
I nodded.
"Give me a minute.""
I typed the recovery command.
The system requested a verification phrase.
I stared at the screen.
I had never programmed a password for this function.
I had programmed a phrase.
Something personal.
Something I had written during the first week of development.
I typed:
*NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO ASK TWICE TO BE HEARD.*
The screen glowed green.
*PRIMARY CREATOR AUTHENTICATION RESTORED.*
I nearly collapsed with relief.
"Hello, Maya," Iris said.
Her familiar voice returned.
I touched her silver head.
"Hello, girl.""
Marcus smiled faintly.
But the relief lasted only a few seconds.
A new file appeared on the screen.
It had been hidden inside the external module.
*AURORA-X FINAL TRANSFER PACKAGE.*
I opened it.
Inside was a list of registered devices.
Hundreds of them.
I stared at the numbers.
"What are these?""
Marcus leaned closer.
His expression changed.
"Those are Companion Research prototype units.""
I scrolled down.
There were devices in hospitals, retirement communities, private residences, and rehabilitation centers.
Every device was connected to the same remote administrator network.
I looked at Marcus.
"How many?""
He swallowed.
"Four hundred and twelve.""
My stomach twisted.
"Are they all collecting information?""
"Not necessarily. Some may still be running the original software.""
I opened the latest transmission record.
A location appeared.
*NORTHRIDGE SENIOR LIVING CENTER.*
Then a second line.
*LIVE BEHAVIORAL DATA COLLECTION: ACTIVE.*
Marcus grabbed his phone.
"My company supplied equipment to Northridge.""
I looked at him.
"Do they know?""
He shook his head.
"I don't know.""
Iris suddenly spoke.
"Warning. Unauthorized remote access attempt detected.""
The screen displayed a new connection request.
This time, the source wasn't Vanessa.
It wasn't Ethan.
It was an unknown administrator.
A message appeared beneath it.
*HELLO, MAYA.*
Then another.
*WE KNOW YOU HAVE RESTORED IRIS.*
My hands went cold.
A final message appeared.
*IF YOU WANT OLIVIA BACK, BRING THE ORIGINAL MEMORY CARD TO NORTHRIDGE TONIGHT. COME ALONE.*
Marcus read it.
"No.""
I looked at him.
"They have Olivia.""
"We're contacting the police.""
The message updated.
A photograph appeared.
Olivia was sitting in a chair inside a white room.
Her hands were folded in her lap.
She was looking directly at the camera.
And behind her stood Ethan Cole.
Beneath the photograph was a countdown.
*YOU HAVE THREE HOURS.*
Marcus reached for his phone.
Then Iris spoke again.
"Primary creator, additional information detected.""
I looked at her.
"What information?""
"Image verification complete.""
The screen displayed Olivia's photograph.
Then a red warning appeared.
*IMAGE CAPTURE DATE: SIX MONTHS AGO.*
I stared.
"That's impossible.""
Marcus leaned closer.
"What does that mean?""
Iris repeated the result.
"Image is not current.""
I looked at the photograph again.
The background.
The chair.
The white wall.
Something about it suddenly seemed familiar.
Then I recognized the small object on the table behind Olivia.
A framed photograph.
The same photograph Marcus had shown us in Chapter 4.
The one of Olivia beside her first robot.
I looked at Marcus.
"They're using an old photograph.""
His face tightened.
"Then where is my daughter?""
Iris's screen flickered.
A final line appeared.
*LIVE DEVICE LOCATION DETECTED: NORTHRIDGE SENIOR LIVING CENTER.*
Marcus stared at the screen.
I opened the location details.
And then I saw something that made my blood run cold.
The device transmitting Olivia's authentication signature wasn't inside the building.
It was registered to a room in the basement.
A room labeled:
*FORMER MEDICAL STORAGE — RESTRICTED ACCESS.*
Marcus grabbed his coat.
"That's where we're going.""
But before we could move, my phone rang.
The caller ID showed a name I hadn't expected.
*BRIELLE CARTER.*
I answered.
Her voice was barely recognizable.
"Maya, please don't go to Northridge.""
I froze.
"Why?""
She began sobbing.
"Because Mom isn't looking for Olivia.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Then what is she looking for?""
May you like
Brielle whispered five words.
*"She's looking for your mother.""*
