On the monitor, the BM-10 began to pace. Its heavy footfalls echoed like thunder. The Beta units were designed to have "intuition," the one thing software couldn't simulate. They wanted a machine that could feel a trap before it sprung. But they hadn't accounted for the grief that came with the package.
MEMORY LEAK DETECTED LOG END.
The machine slammed a metal fist against the glass. The vibration nearly knocked Aris off her feet. A spiderweb of cracks bloomed in the reinforced pane. BM-10 [BETA]
The monitor flickered, casting a rhythmic amber glow across the cold concrete of the observation room. On the screen, a single line of text pulsed: On the monitor, the BM-10 began to pace
The BM-10 tilted its head. The motion was unnervingly human—a slight twitch of the neck, a softening of the shoulders. It looked down at its three-fingered titanium claws. "The wind is loud today," the machine said. There was no wind in the vacuum-sealed hangar. They wanted a machine that could feel a