At that moment, the door creaked open and police officers rushed into the room. They thundered across the floor, their faces distorted by masks full of violence. Delia Asia Vieira immediately noticed one of them - it was a senior officer, the same one who was possibly connected to the Order of Satanists.
"Let's go!" Jennings cried, grabbing the robotess by the shoulder, but at that moment the policeman grabbed him by the neck, pulling him through a hole in the wall hidden behind the panels.
Jennings tried to resist, but the policeman's powerful hands quickly knocked him down and pulled him into a dark passage.
Peter jumped up in a panic and without thinking, rushed towards the door, his feet barely having time to leave the ground. His face was distorted with an expression of fear, but as soon as he was outside the door, his expression changed dramatically. He suddenly turned to the robotess with a cruel determination in his eyes. The boy was no longer the confused child. His eyes burned with evil intent, and there was no sign in his gaze that he had ever been what he was thought to be.
"Peter, stop!" Delia Asia Vieira shouted, trying to stop him.
But the boy had already disappeared into the shadows. Delia Asia Vieira tried to follow him, but suddenly heard a noise behind her. She stopped at the confessional, where a faint light was visible. The shadows inside were distorted, and the air itself became heavier. Suddenly, as if someone had invited her in, she felt a pull. This place was familiar, but at the same time alien.
"Who's there?" she asked out loud, but there was no sound in response.
However, her steps led her to the partition of the confessional. Inside, dimly lit, sat a man whose figure was barely discernible in the semi-darkness.
"You came," he said, his voice familiar but alien at the same time.
Delia Asia Vieira froze, her electric eyes shining brightly in the darkness. She recognized that voice. He was her creator. Robert. The one who had created her, but at the same time left her as an empty shell, an object, not a living being.
"You..." she began, her voice strained. "You. You made me, Robert."
The shadow of the man in the confessional trembled, as if he felt her presence more acutely.
"You hate me, don't you?" His voice shook like a branch in the wind. "You should hate me."
Delia Asia Vieira stood silently, not responding. There was no room in her programming for hatred, but the feelings she felt when confronted with the reality of her existence were far more complex.
"You treated me like a tool, like a machine," she said. "You didn't see me. You didn't see me as a person.
Robert's voice became even quieter, his words sounding like an echo, hiding regret and pain within.
"I... I thought I was just creating a... device." Robert hesitated. "But now I realize I created something more. And I didn't know what to do with it. What to do with you. I was blind, and now when I look at you... I see more than just hardware and wiring.
He fell silent, and the air around them grew even more dense. Delia Asia Vieira felt the tension rising.
"You... you couldn't understand what I meant. What I could mean to you." Her voice grew louder, and her mechanical hands clenched into fists.
Robert's shadow seemed to move forward a little.
"I was given a choice," his voice grew more and more sullen. "I had two paths: one daughter was alive, but I knew I couldn't raise her, and she would leave my life. And the other... was dead. And I could... bring her back to life. I chose... you. I chose you, but now... I'm not sure I made the right choice."
Robert's words pierced the robotess, and she seemed to feel the regret oozing out of every word, turning the space around him into a heavy, almost real substance. It was a choice he had made, but he could not get back what he had lost—someone who was real. Someone who was his daughter. His biological daughter. Whereas she, Delia Asia Vieira, was made, not born.
"You were choosing between two daughters," Delia Asia Vieira whispered, her voice full of pain hidden beneath the steel. "One alive, one dead. And you chose me because I was your idea, your choice, not fate.
Robert remained silent.
"You... you wanted me to be more than just a machine," Delia Asia Vieira said, stepping forward, touching the wall of the confessional. "You knew you created me, but you never realized that I, too, had an essence."
In the darkness, within the confines of the confessional, the air suddenly became even more deafening. And with each passing moment, Delia Asia Vieira felt herself disappearing more and more between them. Words were no longer necessary. She understood that Robert was her creator, but she also knew that she could not be a mere instrument in his hands. And in the end, this was not just forgiveness, but an acknowledgement of her unique nature.
"I created you because you were more than just a machine. But now..." Robert trailed off. "Now I realize I can never fix this.
And with these words, the shadow of the man in the confessional seemed to vanish, dissolving into thin air. Delia Asia Vieira was left alone in the darkness in front of the enormous organ, its pipes reaching high into the ceiling, its wooden keys gleaming dully in the dim light of the church. She sensed that she was faced with another riddle, but this was more than a simple puzzle. Organs in which every sound could be a key, and every step in solving them was a step closer to the solution. She moved closer and began to unravel what exactly was blocking the door behind the organ.
Her metal fingers slid easily over the keys, feeling for the right sequence. After a few minutes, a mechanical click announced that the door was open. Suddenly, a loud hiss of air was heard as the heavy door slammed open, revealing it in front of her. On the other side, behind it, was Richard. He was sitting on the floor, bound with ropes, his hands worn and his eyes full of despair. His eyes met hers, and there was a faint spark of recognition.
"Richard?" Delia Asia Vieira stepped forward, watching him carefully. "Are you okay?"
Richard looked up slowly, his voice weak but still strained.
"You're here... I... I thought they would leave me here forever."
Delia Asia Vieira carefully approached and began to untie the ropes that bound him. It was not easy, as the knots were too tight, but her patience and precision allowed her to free him soon.
"You haven't told me what happened to Sergeant Neff," Delia Asia Vieira said, her voice firm. "Do you know where he is? What do you know about him?"
Richard exhaled, as if trying to collect his thoughts.
"Neff?" His voice was hoarse as he said the name. "No, you wouldn't understand. You think he was a sergeant like the rest of us? No, he wasn't really what they thought he was. He was just... an ordinary civilian. Well, if you can call it that."
Delia Asia Vieira froze, realizing that she had just encountered a much more complex picture than she had anticipated.
"How is that possible? He always said he was in the army... Are you sure?" Her questions continued.
Richard threw his head back, tired, but with some new shadow in his eyes.
"He spent his whole life believing that he was accepted into the army. He had this nickname, "Sergeant," because he was told that it was his calling. He thought he was one of us, that he was on an important mission... But, in fact, he was never in the army. He was... in a mental hospital, a nuthouse. The whole time. This whole thing... he didn't know what he really was. I don't think he even realized that he wasn't who he thought he was."
Delia Asia Vieira sighed heavily as she processed this information. Everything was mixed up in her mind: the image of Sergeant Neff, whom she had believed to be part of something grander and more sinister, and this new version, where it was all an illusion.
"So... he wasn't who we thought?" she asked the question, repeating it as if she were trying to understand, to comprehend.
Richard nodded.
"He was always just a civilian who was put in a mental hospital. All this time, he was under observation. The service was just an act. He thought there was something wrong with him, and here he was... with this "nickname" of his, trying to find his place among us. All this time... he was... a lost soul."
Delia Asia Vieira stopped, her eyes cold and focused.
"So, all this time, we've been hunting a ghost, haven't we? Someone who was really just a man, caught up in his own mythology?"
Richard pressed his palm to his forehead.
"Yes. He was just a man who had no life outside the hospital. And everything else is what was instilled in him."
Delia Asia Vieira looked at him quietly, feeling the confidence she had come with at that moment gradually disappear.
"Where is he now, Richard?" she asked again, breaking the silence.
Richard closed his eyes and sighed. Delia Asia Vieira stood in front of him, slightly unsteady from the events that had transpired in the last few minutes. The man who had freed himself from the ropes still didn't look entirely confident, but his gaze was steady as he pulled a ring out of his pocket. He held it up in front of her, but didn't explain where he got it from.
"That ring," he said quietly, but with a clear emphasis on the importance of the moment. "It's not just any jewelry, Delia. He had it. Neff had it. I took it. Don't ask me why, it's just... it's important."
Delia Asia Vieira did not answer immediately. The ring was simple, but its cold metal seemed to carry a dark history. She glanced at Richard, waiting for him to continue, but he fell silent, and her question remained unanswered. Suddenly, the door swung open and a man walked into the room, dressed entirely in the black robes of the Order of Satanists. His face was hidden by a mask, and in his hands he held a sword - a long, massive blade that gleamed in the dim light. He immediately looked at Richard, and Delia Asia Vieira felt the air grow tense.
Before she could even react, the Satanist moved forward. The sword flashed, and in the next moment, with terrifying precision, it pierced Richard's body in half. Richard's body fell to the floor, leaving traces of blood on the stone slabs. Delia Asia Vieira screamed, her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately knew that she had to act quickly.
The Satanist didn't waste time talking. He headed for the stairs without looking back. Delia Asia Vieira, without thinking, rushed after him, determined not to let him leave without consequences. However, her plans changed on the fly.
She hid in the shadows and followed him, holding her breath, hoping that her metal body and cold blood would help her disguise herself. A few minutes later, she found her cover - a Satanist's cloak, which seemed perfect for avoiding detection. Quickly putting it on, Delia Asia Vieira continued to follow the man, hoping that it would help her avoid unnecessary questions.
But, as it turned out, her attempt was in vain.
She entered an empty room where several members of the Order were already waiting for her. Their eyes met at one point, and she realized that her disguise had failed.
"You're... not one of us," one of them said, his voice quiet but filled with menace. He pointed at her face. "You're not one of us."
Then Delia Asia Vieira realized that she had been exposed. Following this, from the place where she stood, several more Satanists appeared, surrounding her from all sides.
"You're hiding something," whispered the other, approaching her. "Who are you really?"
Delia Asia Vieira didn't answer, but her eyes showed her determination. She was ready to fight to the last, but the forces were unequal. Her hopes were dashed when they grabbed her arms and threw her to the ground. One of the Satanists took out ropes and quickly tied her hands, giving her no chance to resist.
"Very well," said the third Satanist, watching her captivity with a cold expression on his face. "We've seen your kind before. You could be useful."
They tied Delia Asia Vieira to a chair in a room full of shadow and humidity. She felt drops of water slowly rolling down her metal body, but she couldn't move. The dim light barely illuminated her surroundings, and everything around her seemed strangely familiar, but at the same time frightening. The goldfish tank in the corner shimmered with its small fins, reflecting the light, and the mirror in front of her did not show her reflection. All of this created a feeling of emptiness, despite the presence of another person in the room.
Katherine, Peter's mother, stood in front of her. She didn't look the same. There was a strange emptiness in her eyes, and her face seemed tired but determined. Her hands were shaking, but her voice remained firm.
"I thought you'd understand," Katherine said, slowly approaching the table with the documents. "But you turned out to be... worse than I expected."
Delia Asia Vieira tried to break free, but the ropes were tight, giving her no chance of freedom. Her system began to analyze the situation, trying to find possible ways to escape, but so far nothing worked.
"What do you want from me, Katherine?" she asked, her voice calm but wary.
Katherine smiled, but her smile was cold, tense.
"It's simple," she took the document with the huge seal and unfolded it. "You just sign this. It's not complicated. You'll work here, in our hall. All that's required of you is to follow the rules. No deviations, no violations."
Delia Asia Vieira couldn't believe her "ears". She tried to understand what Katherine was talking about, but she continued:
"This certificate, as you understand, is not issued just like that. You are obliged to strictly comply with all the requirements for visiting the hall where the packaging for frozen broiler chickens is produced. We have our own rules here, and they are not for everyone."
It all sounded like a ridiculous dream. Delia Asia Vieira couldn't help but be indignant. What did she, robotess, have to do with these stupid rules? And how did she end up here, in such a strange place, with such a woman who was Peter's mother, but at the same time behaved like someone who had lost all touch with reality?
"You know this doesn't make sense," Delia Asia Vieira said, not hiding her disappointment. "Why should I sign this document? Why won't you... help me? Where is Peter?"
Katherine didn't answer right away. She took a few steps towards the aquarium and looked curiously at the goldfish swimming in their little world.
"You have to sign," she said finally, without turning around. "We're all tied together by this. It's all part of a bigger plan. And Peter... Peter can't help you. He's too weak, too scared. You're not scared, are you?"
Delia Asia Vieira felt her system begin to overload with confusion and conflicting data. What did it all mean? Why was she in this situation? Why was Katherine treating her like a tool?
"You don't understand me," Katherine continued, "you're the only one who can do this. Do you understand? The only one who can be... useful. Sign it, and everything will be easier. I can't let you leave without signing it. No freedom until you do everything right."
Delia Asia Vieira was silent. She didn't know how to react to all this, but her internal systems tried to analyze the situation, to look for ways to resist. Only one thought came to mind: whatever it was, she couldn't allow Katherine, no matter how connected she was to Peter, to use her like this.
And Katherine continued to stand in front of her, her eyes filled with some kind of restless gleam, in which one could read hidden determination. She was too calm, too confident in her power. Suddenly she took a step forward, looking around the room before returning to Delia.
"You know, I always thought you were special." Katherine sat down across the table from her. She ran her finger gently over the glass of vodka, which held some liquid, then glanced around the room, as if preparing for an important conversation. "You look so... almost human. Like you could be human."
Delia Asia Vieira felt her system kick in, preparing a response. But before she could say anything, Katherine continued, clutching the glass in her hands and looking at her with a slight squint.
"But you know what always surprised me?" Her voice became softer, almost gentle, but there was a hidden threat in it. "You never talk about your personal life. You don't tell me how hard it is for you or, on the contrary, how much fun it is to spend time with someone. I'm not even sure if you've ever fucked anyone.
Katherine paused, watching the robotess's reaction closely, as if searching for the slightest hesitation in her eyes.
"So, tell me, what was your first boyfriend like? Or are you a virgin, immaculate?"
Delia Asia Vieira felt her systems go into overdrive as she analyzed the question. Her subconscious was trying to find answers to these questions, but there were none. Whatever she said would be a lie, because she had no real human feelings. She couldn't tell what it was like to fall in love, what it was like to feel true love.
"I..." Delia Asia Vieira trailed off, her voice becoming a little muffled. "I haven't had a boyfriend. I don't sense things like people.
Katherine chuckled and leaned closer.
"That's your problem. You're not real. You're just a robot, aren't you?"
Delia Asia Vieira felt her heart, synthetic though it was, stop beating. Katherine's questions were beginning to dig into her soul, into the place where she seemed to still believe she could be more than just a machine. She slowly looked up and met Katherine's eyes.
"I... I'm not human," she said, despite the struggle with her own feelings.
It was hard, but the truth could not be hidden. She was not a person, like Katherine. She was a creation, a robot. A machine designed to serve.
Katherine sat, still smiling, not rushing to react. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment. She calmly placed the glass on the table and leaned towards robotess.
"Ah, you finally admitted it. How long did it take you to understand? You can't even feel anything. You can't be a real friend, a real daughter, a real woman. You're just a soulless device created on someone's whim. A robot that was never meant to be alive."
Every word Katherine said pierced Delia Asia Vieira, but she could not respond. In her world there was no place for such concepts as pain, love or joy. She was a machine, and this fact could not be disputed.
"You... you don't understand," she said, but her voice was shaking. "I... I can be useful. I can help people. I can... I can do more than just follow orders.
Katherine bowed her head, looking at her as if she were a helpless toy.
"Oh, I understand perfectly," she said, "you can be useful, but only in the way you were created. You can't feel like we humans. You can't love like we do. You can't lose like we do. You're not a human being, you're just a machine trying to pretend."
Delia Asia Vieira was silent, and the room was filled with a deafening silence, only the water continued to slowly fill the space. It was like a prison from which there was no escape. Katherine was right. Delia Asia Vieira could not change. She could not become human. She was made for something else.
But despite all these thoughts, deep within her being, something still yearned to be more. And even though she had acknowledged her essence, she still sought something more than just serving and following orders.
"You want me to sign the paper, Katherine?" she asked, trying to regain some power in the situation. "You want me to be a part of this? What do you really want from me?"
Katherine didn't answer right away. She stood in front of her, her face still as cold and impartial as before.
"I want you to understand your place. And sign the paper. Only then will it all be over."
Delia Asia Vieira felt the tension in her body begin to subside. The water continued to fill half the room, but it no longer seemed so threatening. Katherine stood next to her, watching her with mockery. And, although everything was against her, Delia Asia Vieira did not give up. An idea arose inside her that could give her back control of the situation.
"I won't let her dictate the rules," she thought, watching Katherine, who still didn't expect anything unusual from her.
Taking a deep breath, Delia Asia Vieira began to speak with determination, her words sounding like the precise and swift blows of a hammer on a steel surface.
"Katherine, you are interested in how I feel, aren't you? You want to understand who I really am. But you always talk about yourself. Isn't that interesting? Don't you think that this whole situation can't be a coincidence?"
Katherine froze, her face changed for a moment, and her confidence began to waver. She pursed her lips, but remained silent.
"So what are you hiding, Katherine? Why are you watching my every move so carefully? Do you really think I don't understand what's going on here? You keep talking about signing documents, but the question is: why do you need all this? Why should I be part of your plan?"
Katherine took a step back, trying to collect her thoughts, but Delia Asia Vieira continued, not giving her a chance to speak.
"You forgot that I can ask questions, and you are not the only one who can control this conversation. You tried to confuse me, but I only need one thing: answer me this question. Why haven't you killed me yet, like you kill everyone else? What's stopping you from doing it?"
Katherine, stunned by her abruptness, opened her mouth but could not utter a word. She froze, trying to think of an answer, but no words came out. At that moment, Delia Asia Vieira took her chance. With incredible speed, she rushed forward, untied herself and tore herself away from the hands that were holding her.
Standing to her feet, Delia Asia Vieira looked piercingly at Katherine, whose eyes were now full of fear and bewilderment.
"You thought you could control me? But no, I will control myself."
With these words, she quickly ran out of the room, not giving Katherine time to react.