Quinn had always been told that she was one of a kind. Every batch of Cyberbots released came with 26 models—one for every letter in the alphabet. She was Model 72, Q. That was her technical name, but everyone she knew called her Quinn.

Her batch was known to be the most human-like. At times, she found it hard to separate herself from the humans she was always surrounded by. She was more advanced than the other Cyberbots that worked with her, but she’d never have the same blood as humans. At the end of the day, her DNA would always be made of code.

Newswork had embraced the introduction of technology. It was a cyber empire, blinding lights constantly flashing in one’s face, different models roaming everywhere, and nothing was left without a screen. It was a cyberbot breeding ground, and the only home she’d ever known.

Rumors of offline towns in rural areas had always intrigued her. It was a safe haven that Anti-bot protesters dreamed of, but she’d yet see anyone actually find it. There was as supposed to be trees, grass, and nature galore, which was something she’d never seen herself. She’d always been encased in the metal buildings and screens of the city.

Robots—she hated that term—were still viewed as a commodity, even in such an advanced place. She worked at a Cyber bar with only model employees. No humans, besides the manager, worked along side her. It was a place strange humans came to have power over Cyberbots, but it paid well, and she couldn’t afford to leave the dump, as much as she might’ve wanted too.

Truthfully, she was surprised the bar had managed to get past Anti-bot members so long. She’d been working another shift as peacefully as she could when she spotted a peculiar figure. Most of their customers were regulars, but anytime new people came they were awfully loud and boastful, not sitting silently in a corner.

She was quick to swap tables with her co-worker. Any batch outside of 72 was easily convinced, and she often used it to her advantage, even if she knew it was slightly manipulative.

With a sigh, she approached the table, the perfect smile on her face. She’d spent hours staring at the mirror and practicing facial expressions until she was sure they were right. “Hey!” She started. “Is there anything I can get for you tonight?”

Her eyes moved over the person, instantly seeing the small pin on their jacket. Anti-bot. Why would someone like that come to a place crawling with Cybers? And then she spotted the gun on their hip. It wasn’t one of the advanced ones you could get, but it looked straight out of a Wild West movie. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before

“I-I’m sorry, you can’t bring firearms in the buildings..” She hesitated. “but, I’m willing to let it slide if you tell me where you got it..?”