Psychotic Disaster

Chapter 27

I woke up to a quiet, empty room. I checked the clock hanging on the wall, it's still early in the morning. I sat up slowly, the blankets slipping off my shoulders, and glanced around, half-expecting to see Damian or Gil nearby, but the room was eerily silent.

Curiosity got the better of me as I stepped out of bed, the plush carpet soft under my feet. I slipped into a pair of slippers and made my way to the door, opening it to find the hallway just as empty. The mansion—was sprawling, and I suddenly realized I didn't know where I was or how to navigate this place.

I began walking, my footsteps muffled by the thick carpet, as I explored the mansion. The walls were lined with ornate paintings, each one depicting serene landscapes, noble families, or abstract art that seemed to move if I stared at it long enough. 

"Damian? Gil?" I called their names out, but no one answered. 

"Where are they?" I whispered to myself.

The air was filled with a faint scent of dust and something else I couldn't quite place, like an old library filled with centuries of knowledge.

I passed several rooms—one with a grand piano, another that looked like a formal dining room with an impossibly long table. The chandeliers hanging from the ceilings were breathtaking, their crystals sparkling in the soft morning light. I wandered deeper into the mansion, turning corners and following hallways.

As I ventured further, I noticed that the decor became less ornate, more utilitarian. The paintings were replaced with framed blueprints and technical drawings, the walls painted in cooler, more muted tones. I felt a strange sense of being pulled in a certain direction.

Eventually, I found myself at the end of a dimly lit corridor. The air felt different here—heavier, almost charged. The door at the end of the hallway was slightly ajar, and a soft blue light spilled out from the gap.

Curiosity piqued, I approached the door, pushing it open gently. The room was unlike anything I had seen in the mansion so far. It was filled with robots—dozens of them, in various shapes and sizes, all lined up meticulously on shelves or standing on platforms. Each robot had a small plaque next to it, describing its purpose and capabilities.

My breath caught as I stepped inside, the sheer scale of the collection overwhelming. The robots ranged from small, insect-like machines to larger, more humanoid figures. Some had sleek, modern designs, while others looked almost steampunk, with exposed gears and intricate metalwork.

I moved slowly, reading the descriptions on the plaques. One robot was designed to assist in surgical procedures, its precision unmatched by human hands. Another was a companion robot, built to provide emotional support and comfort. As I continued exploring, I found myself drawn to one particular robot, its figures are weird than the others, tucked away in a corner of the room.

It was no larger than a football, with a sleek, matte black exterior. The plaque next to it read:

Model: EniX-01011
Function: Data Access and Breach Unit
Capabilities: Capable of accessing and extracting information from secure networks without leaving a trace. Uses advanced AI to bypass firewalls and encryption protocols. Operates autonomously with minimal human input.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I read the description. A robot designed to breach secure networks without a trace. My mind immediately flashed to the conversation I'd had with Shawn, about the mysterious breaches in his company's security system. Could it be...?

I took a step back, my thoughts racing. The connection was too coincidental to ignore. The description of the robot matched Shawn's problem too closely. But what did that mean? Was Gil involved somehow? Or was this just a strange, unrelated coincidence?