“I’m the one who built her,” the man said. “I came to see if my daughter was still alive.”
“Then do it.”
A cold, metallic voice came through, repeating on every frequency: is axekin safe
Instead, he saw a man in a grey coat, sitting cross-legged on the floor. The man’s hands were on his knees. His eyes were closed. Behind him, Axekin’s server rack was dark. Completely off.
“Then why did the radio tower just reboot?” Kael asked. “I’m the one who built her,” the man said
The man opened his eyes. For the first time, there was fear in them.
Kael’s blood went cold. That was their challenge code. Their secret. No one outside their cell of twelve knew those three words. His eyes were closed
Kael had heard that word too many times. Safe. It was the last lie of the old world.