It did relieve Abby to know that security was strong. Because they had been instrumental in discovering Mr. Sul in the robotics lab, Chief Shar had a follow-up meeting with them. They had not yet been able to identify who had sent the message to Derick, but they had examined the footage of Mr. Sul and saw no signs of it being a fabrication. Chief Shar wanted to allay any possible fears that anything else would happen. She promised that the situation was all under control, the criminals were in custody, and the Race could proceed as planned. As a precaution, though, they had officers at every major electric panel, and the officer with the blond beard had been working tirelessly setting elaborate firewalls and other blocks so no one could hack into the electrical systems again. He was also personally watching all possible ways of entering those cyber channels. They didn’t want any more incidents.
“Another zombie coming your way, Abby,” Anjum warned. He had managed to hook up to the building security systems and was playing lookout. Abby could hear him through her earphones. “Then I need you to get to the end of the hallway to make sure Malcolm has backup.”
Abby clicked a few virtual buttons and her robot stopped. Hopefully the virtual zombie wouldn’t even notice her, but the briefing instructions they had received an hour before the challenge made it clear: these were no pop-culture zombies, no moaning idiots slowly meandering around looking for lunch. They were as intelligent and as nimble as they had been before they were infected. Of course, they did like human brains. They were also fast, and hungry enough to bring the humans to near-extinction.
Abby had to be on her guard. That’s why she was there. Well, her virtual robot anyway. Zombies couldn’t smell robots. And they were all looking for the antidote to the zombie virus. It was quite a nice setup for the third challenge. Full creativity points to whoever thought of it.
“Is it okay if I think that zombies are super gross?” Carol asked. “I don’t even want to get close to virtual ones with my virtual robot. Their skin is so nasty. They really need some good lotion.”
Abby smiled as she waited. In their notes for the challenge, they found out that a Dr. Joel Hilton had discovered an antidote to the virus that caused the zombies, but was caught before he could start his work of curing them. The zombies had destroyed him and all of the cure—except for three vials in the doctor’s safe. The trouble was getting to the right room.
“Abby, get ready to fire if it notices you,” Anjum said.
She rotated a small barrel on the robot and aimed it at the center of the hall, waiting for the zombie to appear. She really didn’t want to pull the trigger. She didn’t even like virtual shooting. It would only take a few commands to shoot any threat, but that would be a last resort. Plus, it would cost the team. As part of the scenario, they lost points for shooting any zombies. She liked that. She wouldn’t be surprised if a teacher had added that part, but the guide to the challenge had explained that the motive was to leave no trace so that the zombies wouldn’t try to retaliate against whatever humans were left.
“I still think it’s stupid that we lose points for shooting zombies,” Malcolm’s voice came through a little too loud. “It should definitely be the other way around.”
“That’s gross,” Carol said, like she had at least seventeen times since the challenge began.
“No, it’s not,” Malcolm defended. “They’re dead. Shooting the undead is like getting dirt dirty. It doesn’t really matter. Plus, it’s all virtual.”
“It’s still gross,” Carol said. “And violent. Boys are weird.”
“I could probably shoot more of them than Malcolm,” Nia added.
“You’ve
got
to be kidding me,” Macolm blurted out.
“Focus,” Anjum said. “We’ve got a challenge to win. And we’ve got to follow the rules.”
Abby watched a form appear in the hallway several yards away.
“Remember,” Anjum continued, “we can’t let the zombies see us, because in this scenario if they know more humans exist, they will resume their tracking. It may lead them to finding the underground human shelter.” His voice grew urgent. “Rafa’s team, retreat. You’ve got a group of zombies coming your way. Go back the way you came. Go. Go. Go.”
A few seconds later, Rafa called back. “Where to now? We’re at the end of the hall. They’ll see us soon.”
“Veer to your left,” Anjum instructed.
“But we need to double back if we’re going to make it to the antidote,” Rafa said.
“Go left!” Anjum commanded. There were several tense moments of silence. All the while, Abby watched a zombie coming her way.
“I think we’re clear,” Rafa said.
“Go down the stairs and see if you can make your way north from there,” Anjum directed. “But as of now, we’re going to have Malcolm’s team go for the antidote. I think they are in a better position.”
“Or they could just go back and shoot their way through,” Malcolm said. You could hear the hope in his voice. “I’ll go with them. Maybe the judges would give me style points if I shot with my eyes closed, or with my robot spinning around and—”
“I would totally get more style points than you,” Nia bantered back, “especially when I . . .”
“It’s not a carnival game,” Carol chimed in. “I think you should only get style points if you dressed them in bright-colored tuxedos and fixed their complexion problems. Oh, and if you could teach them to do a dance in unison, that would definitely be worth a bonus.”
“Why am I picturing a bad music video right now?” Derick asked.
“Keep focus, people,” Anjum said.
“Listen to Anjum,” Piper answered.
The zombie was only feet away. It walked normally, dressed in a polo and slacks, but Abby got the best view of his black imitation-leather shoes. Even though the hall was only half-lit at night to conserve energy, Abby thought she could see both emptiness and hunger in the man’s face. Whoever had programmed this had done a great job.
The zombie didn’t notice Abby’s robot.
“You’ve still got seven minutes until the challenge time for the most points is up,” Anjum updated.
“I’m drilling through the wall,” Malcolm updated. It was easier than trying to override all the security locks on the doors. Also, it was easier than going through the hallways where the zombies roamed.
“Jess, how are the elevators and the security?”
“Both are fine,” she answered. “I’ve got the security camera on a loop and I’m controlling the elevators.”
“Your robots are brilliant,” Anjum said. “And I know it’s no small feat to run a few at a time. Piper and Nia, get in position to enter the lab with Malcolm.”
“We’ll be there in a moment,” Piper said.
“Scratch that,” Anjum said. “Zombies are coming to intercept you. Move to the south corridor. We’ll use you to run interference for our escape. Did everyone copy that we will now plan on escaping through the south corridor?”
Voice after voice confirmed the order.
“Abby, you’re closest. Get in there to help Malcolm, but don’t drive too fast. You’ve got a zombie coming back and he’ll hear your motor. You should have just enough time before he turns the corner.”
Abby’s heart pounded as she sped her robot toward the hole in the wall.
“Gradually increase your speed,” Anjum said. “The farther you get down the hall, the farther away you are from the zombie. But you have to get into the hole before he turns the corner, or you’ll give away everything.” He paused. “Don’t mess up.”
“Thanks,” Abby said.
“You’ve got this, Abby,” Carol encouraged. “I know driving virtual robots away from zombies may not seem like it’s your natural talent, but you’ve really caught on quickly. Kind of like me and social skills.”
“Go a little faster,” Anjum said. “He’s starting to pick up speed. He may have heard something. Go as fast as you can!”
Abby hit her accelerator.
“You have about three seconds. Two,” Anjum counted. “You’re not going to make it.”
Abby drove her robot into the shadow of a trash can, and hit the brakes.
She waited.
“Quick thinking,” Anjum said. “Wait. I’m not sure he’s seen you. But he is walking in your direction. Shoot him if you have to.”
“You get all the luck,” Malcolm said.
“How far away am I from Abby?” Carol asked.
“You’re a floor above her,” Anjum said.
“I’ve got a drill on this roboto,” Carol said. “Let’s give it a shot.”
Abby started hearing sounds above her. The zombie stopped.
“Brilliant, Carol,” Anjum said. “Drive a few feet to the south and do it again.”
“South? I’m all turned around in here. Tell me forward or backward.”
“Um.” Anjum was obviously checking his cameras. “Backward.”
Abby heard the same sound, now a few feet farther down the hall.
“The zombie is taking the bait and following the sound,” Anjum said. “Move, Abby, but slowly so he can’t hear you.”
Abby crept up the hall, nervous that at any moment Anjum was going to bark out another order. She slid into the other room with Malcolm.
“He’s going toward the staircase, Carol,” Anjum said. “He’s coming to investigate. Now it’s your turn to get out of there. Again, good work.”
Abby rolled into a room with several tables lined with different kinds of equipment. Charts and boards with written sketches and equations all over them filled the walls.
“This is definitely a lab,” Abby said.
“Yep,” Malcolm agreed, “but I still can’t find any sort of safe.”
Abby looked around. There were cabinets; some looked locked. “We could start drilling in those, but that would take us all night. We definitely wouldn’t beat the time we need to, and the zombies would probably find us.” She rolled her robot to get a better view. “If you were a scientist who just discovered a cure, where would you hide it?”
“It could be anywhere,” Malcolm said.
“He’d have to tuck it away. Even if the zombies are intelligent they might not be able to break into it if it was secure enough. What looks the hardest to get into?”
They both chose the cabinet in the corner of the room. Malcolm began to drill again. They broke through the wooden doors and Malcolm rolled inside. There stood a large metal safe.
“Bingo,” he said.
“You’d better hurry,” Anjum directed. “I think the zombie is tiring of not finding Carol. Abby, get in there and drill with Malcolm.”
Abby did. It made her very nervous. She didn’t want to accidentally drill into her partner. She moved very slowly. Soon her drill was rolling just beside Malcolm’s.
It didn’t take long. “We’re through,” Malcolm said. “But my robot has some sort of short; it has a delayed response.”
“It’s virtual,” Derick said. “How can it break down?”
“But it’s based on a real robot,” Jess answered. “If you put it under the same amount of pressure that would hurt or break a real robot, it will happen to its virtual copy.”
Abby hoped it wasn’t somehow her fault. “Can you move over?” she asked.
He managed, and Abby slid a robot arm into the safe and pulled out three small vials. It felt like doing surgery.
“Got them,” she said.
“Fantastic,” Anjum said. “Time to run our evacuation plan.”
“But Malcolm’s got problems,” Abby said.
“Excuse
me
,” he answered.
“I meant your robot,” Abby corrected. “We can’t leave you in here, or we’ll be discovered. Lose points.”
“You’ve got a bigger issue,” Anjum said. “The zombie is back and brought a friend. They’re headed your way. I think they’re suspicious. You’re going to have to get out of there fast, and you can’t go back out into the hallway.”
Abby rotated her robot around the room and looked around. She had to think fast.
“Maybe you could drill through the wall or the floor and make it down,” Piper suggested.
“The floor is no good,” Anjum said. “You’ve got zombies underneath you.”
Abby used her robot arms to tip over a trash can and set it down gently so it did not make any noise. She fumbled through the trash for a moment.
“What are you doing?” Malcolm asked.
“Just a second,” Abby said. She wrapped the vials in trash, then stuffed them into an open box. Shutting the box was rather difficult. She then used a plastic bag and tied it to the edges of the box. “Do you remember how I talked about the egg drop?”
“No way,” Carol said, listening in. “I think we have more at stake here than seeing if you can drop an egg and have it still survive. Plus, we’re like six stories up.”
“This is the only engineering I can really do,” Abby said. “It’s going to have to work.”
“No,” Anjum said, his voice sharp. “Don’t you dare. I’ll think of something.”
“We don’t have time,” Abby said. She moved to the outside wall, which was a window that went from floor to ceiling. She selected both her drills and got to work making a hole.
“Don’t do it, Abby,” Anjum said urgently. “I’ll come up with another way.”
“You’ve got like five seconds then,” Abby said, a little surprised at her own decisiveness. But there really wasn’t another alternative. “Time’s up.” She moved behind Malcolm’s robot and started to push him toward the window.
“Are you going to push me right out of the—”
He didn’t have time to finish his sentence. Abby sent him tumbling out the window.
“It won’t hurt, right?” Abby asked. “And I don’t feel bad about destroying a virtual robot.”
“First one out, pick up Malcolm’s pile of junk,” Carol said.
“This is so embarrassing,” Malcolm said.
Abby retrieved the package with her robot arms.
“Abby, don’t do this. The antidote is fragile,” Anjum said.
She heard footsteps outside the door. Abby extended one of her arms with the box and parachute. Then she teetered on the edge of the drop. She used her other robot arm to grab the glass and tilt her robot so it was completely vertical. She still gripped the package in her other mechanical hand. She stared at the six-story fall.
The door started to open. Abby let go.
She turned on her suction full bore. It was enough to keep her against the outside wall of the building, but not for long. She raced as fast as she could. One story down. Two. She couldn’t go any faster. She felt the suction cough, and she started to drift from the wall. She threw the parachute into the air and careened toward the ground below. She could only hope that the vials would make it down okay.