“That’s where I left Muthr,” Eva said, pointing to the blank kitchen screen. “Let’s try there first.” She tapped the green glowing button next to the door, but the door did not open. Eva tapped it again, harder. Nothing.

“Is it not working? Perhaps there is another way in?” Rovender asked.

“Let me see if it is damaged.” Eva walked over to the holo-screen for the control room. She attempted to interact with the Sanctuary’s menus, but the Sanctuary would not respond. “That’s weird. It’s not letting me access anything,” she said. Eva looked up and announced in a clear voice, “This is Eva Nine. Are you there, Sanctuary?”

The familiar calm voice of the Sanctuary replied. However, static was mixed into it, causing it to sound fuzzy and far away. “Earth in Vitro Alpha Nine, to reenter Sanctuary you must proceed with an authorization code.”

“Code?” Eva looked up at the camera in the ceiling, the Sanctuary’s eyes. “I don’t know any code.”

“Reentry into HRP underground facility five-seven-three is strictly prohibited without proper authorization,” stated the Sanctuary through the static.

“Prohibited? I live here. You know that,” Eva said, looking around at the various screens. “Please let me back in. I need to find Muthr.”

“Multi-Utility Task Help Robot zero-six is unresponsive. Therefore, her location is undetermined. The integrity of said Sanctuary has been compromised. Please return to the surface and send distress signal from Omnipod to HRP underground facility fifty-one,” the Sanctuary stated.

“I did that already,” Eva replied, her tone stern. She waved the Omnipod at the camera. “But there are no humans out there. Instead there are monsters—giant sand monsters and trees that eat you. I need Muthr’s help. Please let me in so that I can get her.”

“Multi-Utility Task Help Robot zero-six cannot leave Sanctuary premises, Eva Nine. Please return to the surface and—”

“I told you I did that already!” Eva’s frustration grew. “You have to let me in!”

“Terminating communication. Good-bye,” the Sanctuary said. It shut off the holo-puter, causing all the screens to evaporate. The control room went dark.

“No! No! NO!” Eva yelled. She paced the room, furious.

Rovender leaned on his stick. “I never trust a talking machine,” he said.

Eva flopped down at the foot of the stairs and held her Omnipod in both hands. It shone on her furrowed face.

“It would seem”—Rovender looked around the darkened room—“that you have been presented with a puzzle, Eva Nine.”

“A puzzle?” She looked up.