Ria was unsure of what she heard. But if she had heard it right—it was a jackpot!
"What did you say?"
She leaned in slightly, her eyes fixed on his lips—not with desire, but with the kind of attention reserved for moments that might change everything. The words hadn't come yet, but her stillness said she was already bracing for them.
A look of puzzlement crossed Bhargav's face.
He shrugged, lifting his hands.
"Bhargav, son of Deepak and Keerthi?" he said in a doubtful tone.
Ria's eyes widened. Her breath quickened and her heart pounded with excitement.
Her heartbeat quickened with excitement. Slowly, she turned her head toward the robot and pointed at it.
"Was it created by your father?"
Bhargav blinked twice. Scratching his head, he turned toward the robot with an awkward smile.
How could a kid understand the importance of something that looked so numb? He then turned back toward the young girl.
"Yeah… That's R-1. My brother," Bhargav said, scratching his head. "He doesn't look like much, I know."
Ria's eyes lit up, as if she had discovered treasure on a deserted island.
Bhargav and R-1 stared at her in astonishment. How could they have known how intelligent their father was? The man who had the ability to outsmart robots with sheer intelligence and technological brilliance.
The young girl was desperate to know Deepak's current location. She had an important device to deliver—one that might help defeat the ruler of the robots.
Ria sighed in relief.
Yes, this is easier than I thought. Maybe my luck is finally working.
It wouldn't be the first time. Ever since she was rescued from the slums by one of the co-founders of Heavy Duty, the world's biggest robo-tech company, her life had been shaped by fate.
"Where is your father?" she asked urgently.
The kid furrowed his brows, narrowing his eyes at her. He stood still in surprise. After a couple of seconds, he finally spoke.
"He's in BGP, his home village. Do you know him?"
The young girl clenched her fists. Her mind was fogged with irritating thoughts.
Damn! That must be far. How can I reach there, surpassing all these freaky machines?
Far, indeed. Being in the capital city, the villages were likely distant. On top of that, most villages had either been converted into cities or remained underdeveloped due to corruption and neglect. There is also one more thing to think about. The robots might already conquered villages too.
I just hope it's less than 100 kilometers.
She was measuring—or rather, hoping. She wanted to confirm it by asking Deepak's son.
"How far is it from here?"
Both R-1 and the kid were astonished by the volley of questions she kept throwing at them. It felt like an interrogation.
Of course, to them, she was a stranger. Why would a stranger ask for so much personal information?
However, they answered.
"It's approximately 200 kilometers or more."
Ria's jaw dropped. She rolled her eyes upward. Her heart felt like it had skipped a beat.
It's double what I thought!
But there was nothing she could do about it now. Her only option was to put herself in danger. She needed a navigator to reach the village—not a person, just a mobile phone.
She checked her pockets, but in vain. She found nothing except the device. She tried hard to remember where she had left her mobile. Then came the realization.
Damn, I didn't even put it in my pocket.
How could she have? The robot attack had been so sudden.
Ria was left with two options: either ask the robot and the kid for a mobile or ask them to guide her to the village. Though she disliked begging, she had no choice.
She couldn't meet their eyes. Biting her lip, she finally asked,
"Do you have a mobile?" she said in a lowered tone.
Neither Bhargav nor R-1 looked surprised. They were used to such situations. R-1 answered bluntly,
"Sorry, we don't have any mobile."
Ria frowned. Scratching her head, she glanced at her only hope.
I have to give it my best. This is my last chance.
She took a deep breath. Her face grew serious—brows furrowed, lips pressed into a thin line. She locked eyes with the kid and the robot.
The room fell silent.
"Listen, you two. What I'm about to say is very important, so please listen carefully. This device..."
She raised her arm, showing the device.
"This device has the ability to change the present situation. It can defeat the most powerful and intelligent robot. But to activate it, it has to undergo a process—one only your father knows. So, to get it to him, will you help me navigate to his home village?"
Bhargav and R-1 took a step back. The kid's eyes widened. His skin turned pale. A cold chill ran down his spine.
The robot also looked startled but soon calmed itself. It stared at the young girl with a composed expression.
"Look, young girl," it said, "you know how bad things are outside. How can I put my little brother in danger? As for the device—my father might have an alternative. He has the capability to make another. So there's no need to risk our lives."
Ria was stunned by the answer. But she had no time to react. She thought deeply. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke again.
"What if he can't? What if he doesn't have enough to build another? And how long do you think you can survive here? Sure, you have that magical drink—but how many days will it last? A week? A month? A year? Eventually, you'll have to leave this garage. And by then, things will be worse.
Do you really think it's safer hiding in a place surrounded by killer machines? There's only one way."
She took a deep breath.
"There's only one way—face our fate. We might survive. We might not. But doing nothing is the real death"
She turned to R-1.
"Now tell me. Will you try... or die?"
The moment held its breath. Silence thickened the air.
Finally, the robot, with determination shining on its face, stepped forward and extended its hand.
"I'll try."
The young girl grinned and shook hands with R-1.