Sloan seemed unconvinced.

Justine glanced around, then looked behind them. Two of the small, spider-like robots had positioned themselves between them and the door. Justine pointed this fact out to Sloan, adding that they probably could not leave now even if they wanted to.

Sloan agreed and they moved toward the ramp. As they walked, slowly and with their guns ready, the gathered robots backed away, clearing a path for them. Reaching the ramp, they quickly made their way up to the second level of the dome.

It was much the same as the ground level. More of the robots were there, waiting motionless. The walls were once again covered with interwoven patterns of cables, wires, and junction boxes. Another robot pointed toward a metal ramp that led up to third level. Barely pausing this time, they made their way up the ramp.

As soon as Justine saw the third level of the dome she realized that it was where they wanted to be. It was the top floor. The ceiling was a high, curving, arch several stories above them. Like the previous two floors, it was very well lit. Cables and wires of varying degrees of thickness intertwined in a way that looked to be almost haphazard, but obviously was not. Huge banks of humming data processors lined the walls. In the middle of it all sat XYZ-00.

The robot was the focal point for the web-like design of the cables that hung from the high ceiling and rose from the floor. Wires were plugged into various ports in the robot’s body and head. XYZ-00’s crab-like legs were folded up, out of the way, and it sat on the wide treads. XYZ-00’s optical sensors glowed with a soft green light a its head swiveled toward them.

“Justine Morris,” the robot said, the sound of its electronic voice sending chills down her spine. “I knew that you were not dead.”

“How long have you known we were here?” Justine asked it.

“Since before you made your way through the perimeter fence,” XYZ-00 answered. “You were picked up on a hidden camera. As I monitor all of the camera feeds continuously, I knew about you right then. I knew you were coming to me.”

Sloan took a small step toward the robot. “And you let us in.”