Chapter 153

Stacey stared, mesmerized, at the girl. She reached out, then hesitated. "Can I touch it?" she mouthed to Hayden, her question clear in her eyes.

"Go ahead," Hayden smiled.

Stacey's heart pounded. Touching Hannah, she gasped internally, It feels real! Aloud, she whispered, "It feels…human."

Lynn, equally awestruck, asked, "Mr. Hoggard, may I?" With his permission, she gently touched Hannah's hand. So soft, so warm…is she really a robot?

Hayden chuckled. "Shadow One, Shadow Two, attack!"

Two stools transformed into robots. One fired; the other lunged. Stacey gasped, instinctively pulling Hayden back. But Hannah was faster, intercepting the bullet with her bare hand. With swift, brutal moves, she disabled the attacking robot.

"Hannah, stop," Hayden commanded.

Hannah froze, her expression instantly gentle. She showed him her hand – a bullet nestled in her now-damaged skin. Stacey and Lynn's eyes widened. Hoggard Tech employees exchanged knowing smiles.

"Ninety-five percent human-like," Hayden explained, "but the biomimetic skin is fragile. A bullet will damage it."

Lynn stared at the bullet. "Is it…real?"

Hayden nodded.

Stacey and Lynn were speechless. They looked at the broken robot stools, then back at the table where they'd just eaten lunch. They'd been sitting on robots!

"These stools," Danjel exclaimed, "transform into robots! They've been in development for three years!"

Jeremy, seeing Stacey's fascination, showed her his writing tablet: [I have many robots too!] He tugged her hand.

Stacey looked down, then at Jeremy's remote. Hayden intervened, "It's late. Let's shoot the promo first."

Jeremy grumbled, but Stacey smiled, "Right, work first, fun later."

Jeremy pocketed the remote. The crew donned bulletproof vests.

The script called for Stacey and Jeremy as mother and son. In a softly lit children's study, Stacey tutored Jeremy, her hand gently guiding his. A knock interrupted their peaceful scene.

Hannah entered with mushroom soup. "Madam, sir, soup is ready."

Stacey accepted, feeding Jeremy spoonfuls of soup. He beamed at her. Suddenly, two robots burst in, guns blazing.

Stacey's face paled. She shielded Jeremy with her body. Everyone held their breath. Then Hannah moved. With impossible speed, she caught the bullets, shattering the robots' arms.