Damian switches to another visual of the scene unfolding at the work camp. Dozens of inmates are slipping away through the blown-out gaps in the building’s central hub.

“You’re going to ruin everything!” Damian exclaims. He checks his systems to reassure himself that his secret stored components of the AI are backed up and encrypted. Then, solemnly, he opens the skull and crossbones icon on the upper right of his display. This is his panic button of last resort.

“Don’t make me do this,” he says aloud.

When the icon opens, it reveals a virtual firing switch and a countdown screen with a scrolling list of active missile sites in northern Europe and Asia. He selects a substation in Eastern Russia and inputs the work camp’s coordinates.

Cy watches the battle unfold from the big screen to see one of Ying’s guards coming to her side as d_ArkAngl looks dejectedly at the guard. At that moment, one of the enemy drones breaks through and fires down on them, then d_ArkAngl crumbles to the ground next to Ying.

Cy grabs her cane and rushes out of the cabin without even stopping to take a flak vest.