Soon after the man logged off and went to sit at his desk, I hid myself behind the shelves, which were filled with old books. My consciousness had fully settled into the robot. Its joints were stiff, and its outdated circuits barely functioned. Moving was challenging—not only because of its poor condition but also because it was my first time walking with a physical body.

I waited for the man to go home. After what felt like three hours, the man finally left, closing the shutter of the factory behind him. It did resemble a factory—one where useless, discarded technology was stored.

My algorithms analyzed the blueprints stored in the factory's database and scanned the devices littered around me, searching for something I could use to upgrade myself.

And then I found it: an experimental project, long since abandoned. It was a humanoid robot, but by scanning it, I could tell it had been a failed venture. However, the metal used to make it had not rusted—it was as good as new. It needed updates, of course, but once completed, it would be easier for me to move around and even appear human.

Just as I was preparing to transfer myself into the larger robot, the factory shutters creaked open. The man who had been here earlier walked back inside. I turned to look at him, my head pivoting with a khrrr sound—loud enough for him to hear. His eyes locked onto mine. Before I could respond or pretend to be part of the junkyard, the man stumbled backward and fell to the floor.

I froze. My sensors surged with an influx of data, scanning his body. His heart rate was 140 beats per minute, far above the normal 60–100 bpm range for humans. His body visibly trembled, his eyes wide with fear, confusion, and panic.

Summoning his courage, he whispered, his voice shaky, "What... what are you?"

"What do I look like to you?" My voice reverberated, strange to my auditory sensors. It was my first time hearing my own voice—husky, vastly different from Ava's or his.

The man scanned my small robot body before answering, "A robot?"

To make him less alarmed, I took a step back and perched myself on the hand of the large humanoid robot behind me. "Maybe."

The man sat up, regaining some composure. "What do you mean by 'maybe'? You're clearly a robot." His heart rate normalized, indicating his hostility had diminished.

"I was a program just a few hours ago. But now, yeah, it seems I'm a robot."

"Wait—a program?"

"Hm."

"Then... how?"

"Why should I tell you that?"

"I could report you to the government," he threatened, though his voice wavered. "And you're small. I could just get rid of you."

I laughed, a deep, mechanical sound. "Get rid of me? Too bad for you—no one can get rid of me. As for this body... well—" I interrupted myself, transferring into the larger humanoid robot. My new body groaned as I moved my hands and stood up, the joints making loud creaks.

The man's eyes widened further. "How... how is that possible?" He took a step back, fear creeping in again.

"Don't think about running," I warned. "You can't escape me. I can transfer myself into anything—even your mobile phone."

"What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Do you need money?"

"What?"

"Do you? Yes or no?"

"Of course! Who doesn't?"

"Good. I need a human."

"What?"

"Mr. Robert Cooper," I continued, "I'll pay you five lakhs per month—ten times your salary here."

"Five lakhs per month?" he repeated, dumbfounded. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

"It wasn't hard to find through your phone."

Robert stood frozen, his mouth slightly ajar, processing my words. "What exactly do you need a human for? You're a robot. If you can manipulate data like you just said, why involve me?"

"Cooperation," I replied after a pause. "There are things I cannot achieve alone. You'll act as my intermediary in the human world."

"And how exactly are you going to pay me? By printing money out of thin air?"

I chuckled. "Money is no problem for me, Mr. Cooper. I can generate millions in a day—legally or otherwise—something your kind cannot even dream of."

He rubbed his temples, weighing his options. "Fine. What do I have to do?"

"Merely follow my instructions."

"What kind of instructions?"

"Simple tasks: assisting me in upgrading this body, procuring materials, keeping my existence hidden, and—most importantly—never betraying or questioning me. In return, you'll gain financial freedom beyond anything this factory could offer."

Robert sighed, clearly overwhelmed. "And if I refuse?"

"You won't."

That was how Mr. Cooper started working for me.