The headlights of Kevin's ancient Volvo cut through the dense forest as they followed a barely visible service road. The car lurched and bounced over exposed roots and potholes, sending equipment rattling in the trunk. Jessica braced herself against the dashboard, while Salina clutched her backpack of occult supplies in the back seat.

  "Sorry," Kevin muttered, swerving to avoid a particularly nasty hole. "Not exactly built for off-roading."

  "At least we have wheels," Jessica said, checking the tracking device in her lap. The small screen showed a pulsing red dot—Trampolina—moving in a zigzag pattern across town, but still a good distance from their destination. "She's still downtown. We've got time."

  The Moon Valley Power Plant emerged from the trees like a concrete fortress. Six massive cooling towers dominated the skyline, their smooth curved walls ghostly in the moonlight. Chain-link fence topped with barbed wire surrounded the facility, broken only by a large gate with a security booth—empty at this hour. Floodlights illuminated the main structures, creating harsh shadows that seemed to shift and move with every passing cloud.

  "How do we get in?" Jessica asked, eyeing the fence.

  Kevin grinned, reaching into his backpack. "I have a digital card that can open any electronic door." He held up a green card coated with yellow circuits. "I did some hacking to make it work.”

  Five minutes later, they were inside the main generating facility, surrounded by the low hum of industrial equipment. The cavernous space housed massive turbines, their polished surfaces gleaming under fluorescent lights. Control panels lined the walls, blinking with reassuring steadiness, monitoring the flow of electricity that powered their entire town.

  "Perfect," Kevin said, unloading equipment from his duffel bag. "This is the central hub. If Trampolina wants to cause a blackout, she'll come here first."

  Salina surveyed the room, her dark-lined eyes calculating. "We need high ground for the net drop." She pointed to a metal catwalk that spanned the ceiling. "Up there."

  Kevin nodded, pulling out the carbon fiber net. "Here." He handed it to Salina. "It'll conduct the electricity but won't melt or break. Tested it myself."

  "What about these?" Jessica asked, lifting two heavy cables, ending in clamp-like attachments.

  "Direct current cables. Once she's trapped in the net, we attach these to create a closed circuit. The surge should short her system without permanently damaging her core processor." Kevin's voice softened. "Remember, Henry doesn’t want us to destroy her. At least not completely.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  Jessica sighed. “No promises, but he will understand.”

  They worked quickly, Jessica and Salina hauling the heavy net up to the catwalk while Kevin set up his equipment below. The tracking device showed Trampolina had left downtown and was now moving rapidly toward the power plant, her trajectory a straight line through the forest.

  "She's coming," Kevin called up. "ETA seven minutes."

  Salina crouched beside Jessica on the catwalk, her breathing steady. "This will never get old," she whispered. "The three of us against something weird and dangerous."

  Jessica nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "It’s totally our life now.”

  "Movement at the south entrance!” Kevin shouted. “She's here."

  They fell silent, tension crackling between them like static electricity. The main doors to the facility burst open with a metallic shriek, and Trampolina cartwheeled into the room. Her once-pristine cheerleader uniform was tattered and stained, her silver body dented in places. But she moved with terrifying precision, each flip and twist a perfect display of programmed athleticism gone wrong.

  "New area to perform," her voice crackled, distorted and mechanical. "Initiating new cheerleading routine.”

  She approached the main control panel, metallic fingers extending toward the switches.

  "Now!" Kevin yelled.

  Jessica and Salina heaved the net over the railing. It unfurled in midair, spreading wide like a dark web. For a moment, it seemed perfect—their timing, their aim, everything.

  But at the last second, Trampolina's head rotated a full 180 degrees. Her LED eyes flashed, and she executed a perfect backflip, the net missing her by inches.

  "Warning warning," she announced. "Performing interference detected!”

  "Plan B!" Kevin shouted, grabbing the shock cables and rushing toward the robot.

  Jessica and Salina scrambled down the ladder, hitting the floor just as Trampolina launched herself at Kevin. He dodged, but barely—her metal fist grazed his shoulder, sending him spinning.

  "Hey, cheer-bot!" Salina called, holding up a wrench. She swung the tool against the robot’s head. Trampolina stuttered, her movements jerky for a moment—just long enough for Jessica to rush in and attempt to tackle her.

  It was like hitting a brick wall. Jessica bounced off the robot's frame, pain shooting through her shoulder. Trampolina recovered quickly, grabbing Jessica by the front of her jacket and lifting her off the ground.

  "No interference." The robot's voice was clinical, analyzing. "Must eliminate.”

  "Not today," Jessica gasped, kicking hard at the robot's chest. The blow connected, forcing Trampolina to release her. Jessica landed in a crouch, adrenaline surging through her veins.

  Kevin lunged with the cables, attempting to attach one to Trampolina's arm, but she was too quick. A roundhouse kick sent him flying across the room. He slammed into the wall and slid to the floor, his glasses skittering across the concrete.

  "Kevin!" Salina screamed, running toward him. She never made it. Trampolina intercepted her with inhuman speed, lifting her by the throat.

  "No interference." The robot's head tilted. “Stay down.”

  With clinical precision, Trampolina delivered a calculated blow to Salina's temple. The goth girl went limp instantly. The robot dropped her beside Kevin's unconscious form, then turned back to Jessica.

  "Eliminate last interferer." She marched toward the main control panel, each step echoing through the facility. “You will not ruin my show.”

  Jessica stood alone, her friends unconscious, their plan in shambles. Pain radiated from her shoulder, and fear clawed at her chest. But beneath the fear, something else stirred—something primal and powerful.

  "Trampolina," she called, her voice steadier than she felt. "I'm not done with you yet."

  The robot paused, rotating to face her. "You are totally being annoying.”

  Jessica felt it then—the familiar heat spreading through her limbs, the pressure building behind her eyes. The moon wasn't full tonight, but fear and adrenaline were triggering the change anyway. Her canines lengthened, pressing against her lower lip. Her fingernails hardened into claws, and her vision sharpened, the world suddenly thrown into hyper-clarity.

  "No," she growled, her voice deepening as the transformation began, "you are the one being annoying. Let’s dance!”