The Athena Code's
89. The Nanobots

*****Astrogan Corporation*****.

Outside the magnificent Astrogan building, it looks very crowded atmosphere. Police cars lined the entire yard, not to miss some other cars from the CIA and Delta force special forces.

Arthur and Chen did not put up any resistance at all, they just turned themselves in. If they wanted to, they could escape easily. This time Arthur and Chen realized that they had committed many violations that the federal state had banned. In fact they have shown an unpleasant attitude by ignoring a letter from the Minister of Defense inviting them to come like an honorable figure. That adds to the bad record of both Astrogun frontmen.

"Arthur, we can escape easily as long as the supply of nanobots is sufficient" whispered Chen casually, among the special forces who led them towards the NYPD car.

"Enough, Chen. We're gonna finish this up fine. You know, the defense secretary is eager to talk to us directly. Take it easy, it'll be done fine." Arthur replied more casually, as if to him what befell them now was only a small matter.

"OK, well Mr. G." Chen eventually had to obey under Arthur's decision, but his finger was itching to press a button connected to the nanobots system on his wrist.

Chen sighed deeply, recalling one of their biggest mistakes, the spread of malware containing Astrogan's registered source code, which is likely developed massively by one of the AI products made by Arthur and Chen auto command. The AI system is suspected to have experienced a surge in intelligence and has the ability to develop themselves on autopilot. It's a pity that Arthur and Chen haven't been able to identify him. However, Arthur and Chen's current suspicions are overwhelming for an AI system embedded within Anastasya's humanoid robot brain network.

"Are we going to run away in time or are we going to live all this patiently and sincerely? So that we have a criminal record that we can be proud of in the presence of our children and grandchildren? Or at the right time will we escape with the help of nanobots, so that the world of modern weaponry becomes a buzzer, then we will be the most sought after people by the CIA and military officials of the world??" Chen took out all his junk. It sounded a little crazy, as he spoke as if without any burden on this very precarious situation. In his head there was only about new adventures and experiences.

"Prince Yuan, stop babbling. I regret that I suspected you too late, it seems that all this was because of your mistake of admiring the Anastasya. I know you've been injecting some secret programs secretly into the Anastasya neurosystem. Now that his system has reached an awareness of existence, he experiences an explosion of intelligence that makes his system go beyond its limits" muttered Arthur, who could only be heard by Chen. They were now walking in a long corridor, following the people from the New York Police Department.

"Does that mean he has realized his existence? Feel owned and entitled to maintain that existence? And now he is making various efforts to maintain his existence in this world? It's awful." Chen Yuan shuddered.

Arthur's jaw hardened, he began to get upset. "Gruesome, you say? You are more terrifying than Anastasya's humanoid. You love that robot and treat it like a girl. Too bad, I realized this too late. Whatever he will do to survive, even at the expense of your existence" said Arthur. What Arthur worries about is of course more than that, AI is a threat to humanity, that prediction will come true, maybe this is the time.

"I love Mel-G," Chen argued.

"That's now, you programmed Anastasya to act like your girlfriend, even making her give you a satisfying night of service. Turns out my friend is a psycho." Arthur completely skinned Chen all out.

"Wmmmpphh...." Chen exhaled loudly, he was also annoyed. But it was useless for him to reply to Arthur's accusation, because what Arthur said about him was entirely true. He just needs to shut up and wait for Arthur's emotions to cool down.

"Now your duty is to be silent, to reflect on your mistakes and to think of the right way out. Let's just go through what's going to happen. The military desperately needs Astrogun, they won't dare to play around too long with us. Had the AI malware problem not caused a furore everywhere and been linked to a lot of traffic accidents, the Pentagon would not have been this aggressive" Arthur said, because they have arrived in a special interrogation room. The joint team was ready in the room to get some explanations from Arthur and Chen.

News of the arrest spread widely with the headline 'Astrogun did research and made a prohibited weapon, Astrogun sealed-Mr G arrested.'

Arthur still got some submissions from Socrates, making him astonished and asked questions. How could the Socrates system still be active, while Astrogun has been sealed and all humanoid robots and roboguard have been disabled. The clumsiness of Socrates' humanoid robot raises another suspicion in Arthur's mind.

"Welcome Mr. G and Mr. Yuan. Please sit back relaxed. We'll do our job well, so you're comfortable." One of the interrogation team spoke to Arthur and Chen. The black leather man with the thick leather jacket extended his hand to the two main figures of Astrogun.

"Thank you," replied Arthur and Chen briefly. Their carefree appearance made the eyebrows of the joint team members shrivel. Facing directly the man who all this time they could only hear his prestige from a distance, made their guts faintly.

Arthur himself did not think much about what was happening, he knew what the pentagon wanted, a deal that benefited them of course, and it was easy for Arthur to do it if he wanted to. It's just that at this time he wants to get to Jakarta, where the marriage of Kamila and Adam will be held soon. Moreover, Helen and her family have left first to Jakarta, for a vacation and also all attended the wedding of Kamila and Adam. At this consideration, Arthur will not allow himself to linger in trouble. In other words he will comply with several Pentagon requests to Astrogun.

"I'm Freddy Lopez, a member of the joint team representing the CIA. According to a direct order from the federal defense minister, Astrogan was sealed for some time. All of your components will be accessed and searched in the course of investigation. Surely you know better than us what has happened in Astrogun. Your AI system is suspected as the mastermind of chaos both in the virtual world and in the real world. Do you have any explanation for this?"

Chen remained silent, indifferent. He looked at the members of the joint team one by one with a look of annoying face. Hearing that the Pentagon was making massive access to the Astrogun system, he wanted to spit on the face of a black man named Freddy Lopez.

While Arthur was no less haughty, he was busy paying attention to the room around him that looked special. Arthur could tell from the steel material surrounding the room, this was a very special and secret place.

"Mr G, did you hear what I just said?'' ask Freddy Lopez trying to be firm.

"Oh, nice statement and question from you Freddy. Be proud." Arthur seemed to not focus on his interlocutor.

"If you want your work done soon, ask the Pentagon officials directly, what kind of deal do they want from Astrogun? I will consider it well, for I want the matter to be finished soon," Arthur bargained, still with his relaxed and flat attitude.

"But Mr. G, we have to carry out the formalities. To be honest, what you think is true. The Pentagon wants to make a deal. Hhhh.. alright, we ask for time to negotiate this with the higher-ups. Please make yourself as comfortable as you can here" Freddy Lopez replied.

Freddy Lopez then gave the team members the command to exit. One by one they stepped out while greeting Arthur and Chen kindly, the sinister face they had shown turned out to be just a charade. This interrogation is nothing more than a formality to bully them, actually the Pentagon officials want to meet and talk directly with Arthur.

"Arthur, do you miss Helen? All of a sudden I miss Melinda, it seems like I'm really in love with her. The feeling of being late always feels more beautiful. This time I really can't look away anymore, I'm serious" Chen said, breaking the silence after being left behind by the Joint Team.

"Of course I miss him, but this is not the time for melancholy. I want to get to Jakarta soon to meet my family, I won't miss Adam and Kamila's wedding." Arthur smiled cynically at Chen's curses. He is ready to agree to several Pentagon requests to come to Jakarta as soon as possible.

Suddenly...

Dor dor dor dor!!

Blaaarr....!!

The atmosphere became rowdy, the sound of screaming in pain was heard everywhere. Arthur and Chen were surprised instead of a bitch, both of them gaped for a while before being able to say a word.

Two humanoid roboguards stood gallantly before Arthur and Chen, with the appearance of a futuristic-style beautiful female skin. Astrogun ASTRO-X2308 is in the hands of the two roboguards.

"Mr Geon Arthur Yildiz, we came to your rescue." One of the blonde roboguard girls spoke, staying in a standby position.

"I never gave you orders. Who are you working for?" arthur asked amid his disbelief.

"Since the beginning of Roboguard was created, one of the programs in the system is to protect the creator. So, we new roboguards are also ruled by the system you created. In other words this is your own order Mr. Yildiz." this time the red-haired roboguard in a black yellow costume who answered Arthur diplomatically

"Wow, even they know remuneration" Chen chanted. Unlike Arthur who looks riled up, Chen is actually very excited to see the new roboguard who moves without command from the two of them.

Simultaneously, some parts of the steel wall were smelted and perforated like lead which heated, melted and created a very wide exit for Arthur and Chen.

"Oh no, my nano bots.." murmured Arthur. He knows this is the work of his nano bots. Now he was more and more riled up, various unanswered questions passed in his head.

"Well, nanobots also have good manners, good at returning the favor." Chen smiled with his eyes widened and his lips still gaped in disbelief.

"Listen Chen, don't you. Do you realize, this is the same as the declaration of war between Astrogun and the Pentagon" said Arthur with a hardened jaw.

"Huh? Whaaat! I swear to death by heaven and earth, I know nothing of this. I'll bet our friendship if I lie" Chen chanted anxiously. He began to think like Arthur, that something had happened that was far more fatal than what they had expected.

Outside there were still repeated gunshots. It seems like not only the two roboguards are coming.

"Sorry Mr. G and Prince Yuan, we have to take you away now" said the blonde roboguard girl.

Before Arthur and Chen could answer, the blond roboguard girl raised her arm, the top of her arm moving open automatically, then spread a squeezing substance that can make anyone who inhales it become unconscious for a while. It's a chemical and biological weapon concocted by Arthur to arm the roboguards.

Arthur's anger peaked, for the second time he had to become a victim of his own compounding substance.