CHAPTER 6: THE ROBOT GUARD ATTACK
As the sun dipped westward, the Kluang sky turned a reddish orange. The Asar call to prayer echoed gently from a nearby surau, but the calm did not reach the five college students gathered in their homestay living room. On a round rattan table lay sketches of Mount Lambak’s trails, notes from the library archives, and printed photos taken from Liam’s camera.
“We need to get back into the lab tonight,” Aiman said calmly. “If Dr. Johan’s theory is dangerous, we can’t wait for the authorities. We don’t even know who we can trust anymore.”
“You want to go at night?” Liam asked, licking the leftover Super Ring dust off his fingers. “Aiman... that place is dark. Creepy. And you want me to bring my computer into the forest?”
“You hacked the university server at midnight using café Wi-Fi, Liam. We all know that,” Zara interjected. “This is basically the same. Just watch out for monkeys or ghosts this time.”
Nico added, “And if we run into a hell-dog robot, I hope it’s not allergic to my voice.”
Risa, who had been studying the map silently, circled a spot with a red pen. “Last night I passed through this area and saw exposed cables coming out of the ground. I think they’re linked to the lab’s core system. If we want to get in without triggering anything, we need to approach from the south. Not the same path as before.”
“Alright,” Aiman nodded. “Let’s pack light. Zara, get the rope and flashlights. Liam, bring your gear. Nico, you guard the perimeter and keep an eye on our exit route. Risa and I will handle the main entrance.”
Night fell. They slipped out once Mr. Azmi had dozed off in front of the TV, remote in hand and Nona humming softly in the background. The night sky was clear but windy. The forest was filled with the sound of crickets. They entered the base of the mountain in silence, every step carefully planned.
After nearly thirty minutes of hiking, they arrived at the hidden metal door. Risa placed her hand on a small panel on the wall. Aiman handed her a tiny screwdriver.
Liam stood behind them holding a wave scanner built from a modified old Walkman casing. The needle began to twitch.
“There’s a signal. But it’s stable. Not like before,” he said.
Risa pried open the panel. Inside were colour-coded wires, a toggle switch, and a small board marked “Manual Override.” She flipped the switch, and the metal door slowly creaked open inward.
They entered silently. The flashlight beams swept over mossy concrete walls and dusty floors. The main lighting system was still faintly functional, casting long dancing shadows down the corridor.
At the lab’s control hall, Liam immediately connected his laptop to an old terminal. Green text filled the screen with rows of ancient code. Aiman and Risa rifled through physical files in metal cabinets.
Zara, stationed near the entrance, suddenly whispered loudly, “You all hear that?”
Everyone froze.
Click. Click. Click.
Metal footsteps echoed from the back corridor. Sharp, deliberate. Something heavy. Something mechanical.
“Pretty sure that’s not a lab staff,” Nico muttered, stepping back.
Suddenly, from the left corridor, a four-legged robotic unit emerged. It was waist-high, with glowing red LED eyes. Its chrome-like body gleamed, built from stainless steel. On its side, a faded label read “J-EX Sentinel 02.”
The robot raised its head, and a scanning laser swept toward them.
“Intruder detected. Activating perimeter control mode.”
“Run!” Aiman shouted.
They scattered from the control hall. Liam hastily shut his laptop, just managing to hit Save. Zara grabbed Risa’s hand. Aiman and Nico were the last to leave before the robot fired an electric pulse that exploded against the concrete wall, sending dust and debris flying.
They rushed toward the entrance. Liam tried to reopen the door, but the system had auto-locked.
“I can override it!” he yelled.
“Hurry up!” Nico shouted, pale and sweating.
Zara pointed her flashlight behind them. Two more robots were approaching from another corridor. These ones were larger, each equipped with what looked like metallic net launchers.
Liam finally pried the door open. They all escaped and slammed it shut behind them. Breathless and shaken, Aiman collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving. Risa knelt beside him, wordless.
“Next time, let’s just ask for a visitor pass,” Nico joked weakly, his voice trembling.
Liam stood and looked back at the now-silent lab. “They didn’t just abandon that place. They protected it like it’s the most important site in the world.”
Aiman nodded slowly.
“I think… we’re getting close.”
That night, they all knew this was no longer just a scientific mystery. It was a battlefield of technology. And they had just witnessed its first move.