Dumal's footsteps crunched lightly over the sand as he trudged forward, the endless desert stretching out ahead. His gaze swept the ground until something caught his eye — a faint outline half-buried beneath layers of dust. He stopped, kneeling down to brush the sand away, revealing a heavy metal hatch.
He stood up and pulled the hatch open with a low groan of rusted hinges. Below, a set of stairs descended into darkness. Without hesitation, he stepped inside, the faint light from the sun casting long shadows as he closed the bunker door behind him.
The narrow staircase creaked under his weight as he made his way down, the air growing cold and stale with each step. Finally, he reached the bottom, where the dim glow of old, malfunctioning lights barely illuminated the corridor before him. Spiderwebs clung to every corner, stretching across the walls like fragile, dusty curtains.
His eyes drifted to the ground, where two skeletons lay slumped against the wall, still clad in the remnants of lab coats. Their name tags read "Jeff" and "Matt." Dumal paused for a moment, taking in the sight of the lifeless bodies, then continued forward, his gaze now drawn to the clutter of robot parts scattered across the floor. Some were dismembered, others half-constructed, their cold, metallic limbs splayed in disarray.
As he stopped to inspect the parts, a voice rang out from deeper inside the bunker, gruff and impatient.
"Stop what you're doing, Dumal, and come here. I need your help," the voice commanded.
Dumal turned toward the direction of the voice and walked through the corridor until he reached a small, cluttered room. In the center of the room, surrounded by tools and spare parts, stood the Professor, hunched over a mess of wires and robotic limbs. His hands moved quickly, adjusting pieces as he worked.
"Hand me the screwdriver," the Professor said without looking up.
Dumal wordlessly fetched the tool and handed it to him. The Professor grunted his thanks, his hands never slowing. After a moment, he spoke again.
"Do you have them?" he asked, still focused on his work.
Dumal nodded. "Yes."
The Professor sighed, standing upright for the first time. He wiped his brow with the sleeve of his white lab coat, then adjusted his glasses, which had slid down his nose. His age showed in the deep lines etched into his face, his thick gray mustache twitching slightly as he glanced over at Dumal.
"Good," the Professor said quietly. He began walking toward the far wall, Dumal following closely behind. They stopped at what seemed like a dead end, a solid steel wall looming in front of them.
"Scarlett Blue," the Professor said clearly.
With a soft hiss, the wall slid open, revealing a hidden passage. They stepped through, entering a large chamber where a robot sat motionless on a steel bed. The robot's frame was sleek and black, its hair pure white, contrasting sharply with the dim, metallic room.
The Professor's eyes gleamed as he approached the robot, a sense of triumph in his voice. "Finally… my child, you will live."
Dumal carefully removed the two skulls from his bag and handed them to the Professor, who carried them over to a machine standing nearby. He placed the first skull into the machine, and it whirred to life, scanning the bone with a series of flashing lights. He did the same with the second skull, watching as the scanner analyzed it.
Satisfied, the Professor grabbed a thick cable and attached it to the back of the robot's head, connecting the machine to the dormant figure. He stood back, his face alight with anticipation.
"Now all we do is wait," the Professor said.
Dumal crossed his arms, his gaze lingering on the robot. "Will the DNA even work? It's been five years."
The Professor smiled, his confidence unwavering. "Yes, it will work," he said softly, glancing at the robot. "All you need to do is have faith."
And with that, the room fell into silence, the faint hum of the machines the only sound as they stood waiting for what would come next.
The chapter ends here.
END OF CHAPTER 60