“I don’t know why Muthr doesn’t want me to have other friends,” Eva said as she returned the WondLa back to its place. “But she’ll never find out about the WondLa, or us . . . until it’s too late.”

Lifting the Omnipod up from the floor, Eva scanned the collection of unmoving toys. The soft light illuminated their blank faces. She paused on one, a grungy Beeboo doll.

“I brought you a medi-sticker too,” Eva said as she ripped open the little packet with her teeth. Eva placed the sticker on the doll’s soiled paw. “I don’t want you to get an infection when we escape from here.”

As she stood to leave, a tremendous shock wave rattled the entire Sanctuary, raining dust and debris from the corridor ceiling down onto Eva Nine.

CHAPTER 4: BOOM

The Omnipod light danced wildly about the secret passageway as Eva rushed back toward the Sanctuary. She activated the door controls as another loud reverberation rocked the walls, causing her to stumble through the open doorway and back into the supply room. The shelves inside vibrated with each rumble, and several containers of disinfectant fell to the floor. Holding on to the shelves, Eva snaked her way to the front of the room just as the door hissed open. Standing in the entrance was Muthr.

“There you are!” exclaimed Muthr. She thrust Eva’s jackvest and a large food container into the girl’s hands. “I have been looking everywhere for you. Do you have your Omnipod?”

“Yes,” replied Eva, holding up her right hand, the device hanging from her wrist.

“May I have it, please?” Muthr asked.

Eva handed the Omnipod to her. Immediately its tiny lights began flickering in rhythm to a tiny light on Muthr’s torso. “What is that?” Eva shouted over another tremendous bang. The sound was coming from above them. All the lights in the Sanctuary flickered.

“Is this another exercise? Or a drill? Because—” A shrieking siren cut her off, a noise Eva Nine had never heard before. With large eyes—frightened eyes—she watched the robot. Muthr was silent and stoic, but lights blinked in rapid succession all over her head.

“Muthr, what’s happening? What is the Sanctuary telling you?” Eva asked. She huddled close to the robot as another shock wave boomed overhead.

Muthr blinked out of her trance and addressed Eva. “An intruder has breached the Sanctuary’s doors and is now descending to the main entrance. Come now. We have only minutes to get you to safety.” With that, the robot spun around and wheeled out into the main hub. Eva hopped along behind her, slipping her jackvest on over her beige tunic. The Sanctuary shook again.

“Kitchen doors, open, please,” Muthr commanded, and she barreled through the adjacent door.

“Wait—the kitchen?” Eva stopped in the doorway, confused. “Why are we going into the kitchen? Shouldn’t we head to the control room?”