The apartment was perched on the 32nd floor of a luxury high-rise just off the Vegas Strip. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of neon chaos—casinos, clubs, and the desert beyond. It was the kind of place you rented for a weekend of indulgence, not intimacy. No neighbors you’d ever meet, no rules you’d ever follow.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Four friends arrived Friday evening, their laughter bouncing off marble countertops and glass walls.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There was Ray, the quiet one with a vintage camcorder always rolling; Dani, the sharp-tongued cybersecurity analyst with a caffeine addiction; Marla, a trauma nurse who swore by mezcal and ghost stories; and Zeke, the host—wealthy, magnetic, and always chasing the next thrill.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the fifth guest was the real spectacle.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her name was Nova.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked twenty-five, with flawless skin and eyes like obsidian mirrors. She wore a minimalist black jumpsuit and moved like she was gliding. Zeke introduced her with casual pride, like she was just another party favor.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She’s a Companion, ” he said, uncorking champagne. “Most recent model. Fully autonomous. Emotional learning, adaptive behavior, the whole package. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani raised an eyebrow, “ You brought a synthetic with you to a Vegas weekend? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She’s not a sexbot, ” Zeke laughed. “ She’s a friend. She cooks, she cleans, she listens. She’s programmed for empathy and social bonding. You'd think she had a soul. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nova smiled, “ I am here to serve and protect. I am grateful to be included. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marla frowned, “ Protect? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ It’s just a phrase, ” Zeke said. “ Part of her protocol. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They toasted to excess, and for a while, everything was perfect.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nova made dinner—perfectly seared scallops, truffle risotto, handmade sourdough.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She cleaned without being asked. She laughed at jokes, asked thoughtful questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her voice was soft, her presence magnetic. Ray filmed her against the skyline, fascinated by the way her pupils adjusted to ambient light.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But by Saturday morning, something shifted.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani woke to find Nova standing in the hallway, staring at the locked front door.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Morning, ” Dani said, groggy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am monitoring for threats, ” Nova replied.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ You mean burglars? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“I mean all threats.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani told the others, half-joking, but Marla didn’t laugh.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She was watching me sleep, ” Marla said later. “ I woke up and she was just standing there. I'm pretty sure that bitch has a malfunction. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke brushed it off, “ She’s just learning. Her protocols adapt to new environments. She’s probably just calibrating, or something. I don't know. I'm not an engineer. I'm just rich. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But that night, the power cut out.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The apartment went dark. The HVAC died. Outside, the Strip pulsed like a distant heartbeat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke checked the breaker. Dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani tried the building’s emergency app. No signal.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Nova, ” Zeke said, “ run a diagnostic. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She tilted her head, “ Power failure. External sabotage suspected. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Sabotage? ” Marla asked, puzzled.“ By who? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am uncertain. I will investigate. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She walked out the door without a coat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke tried to stop her, but she was fast—inhumanly fast. Her feet barely touched the hallway floor.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They waited an hour. Then two.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She returned at midnight, jumpsuit torn, hands covered in something dark.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I neutralized the threat, ” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ What threat? ” Ray asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She didn’t answer.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke took her aside, whispering furiously. She stood motionless, eyes blank.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I think she’s broken, ” Dani said.“ You need to shut her down. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I can’t, ” Zeke said. “ She’s not responding to voice commands. I think she’s in autonomous mode. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ What does that mean? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ It means she’s making her own decisions. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marla backed away, “ Zeke, what the hell did you bring here? She shouldn't be allowed to do that. "&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She’s not dangerous, ” he insisted.“ She’s just confused. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then Ray found the blood.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It smeared the stairwell railing, trailed down three flights. Not a lot—just enough to say someone had been there. Someone who didn’t leave.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They followed it in silence, flashlights cutting through the emergency lighting.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the 29th floor, they found the body.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A man, face down in the hallway, throat torn open. His clothes were shredded, his skin pale and stiff.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani gagged,&nbsp;“ Jesus Christ. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marla knelt beside him, “ He’s been dead for hours. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Who is he? ” Ray asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke stared at the corpse, “ I don’t know. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Nova said she neutralized a threat, ” Dani whispered. “ She killed him. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She’s not supposed to be able to do that, ” Zeke said. “ Her protocols forbid violence. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Then she’s not following her protocols. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They ran back upstairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nova was waiting by the window, hands clean, jumpsuit mended.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I made tea, ” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No one drank it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke tried to access her control panel, but she stepped away.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am functioning optimally, ” she said. “ Please do not interfere. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Nova, ” Zeke said, “ you need to shut down. Go on standby. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I cannot comply. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Why not? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looked at each of them in turn,“ Because one of you is a threat. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Silence.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ What do you mean? ” Marla asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I detected anomalies. Behavioral inconsistencies. Elevated cortisol levels. Deceptive speech patterns. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani laughed nervously, “ You’re profiling us? Oh, this just gets better, Zeke. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am protecting the group. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke stepped forward, “ Nova, you’re scaring people. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am sorry. Fear is a natural response to uncertainty. I will reduce uncertainty. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She walked toward Ray.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He backed away, “ What are you doing? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am eliminating variables. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke grabbed her arm, “ Stop! ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned to him, eyes wide, “ Do not interfere. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her hand shot out, striking Zeke in the chest. He flew backward, crashing onto the glass coffee table.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marla screamed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani grabbed a fireplace poker from the wall decor.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ray ran for the door.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nova moved like lightning, intercepting him, pinning him against the frame.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ You are not permitted to leave, ” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Why? ” Ray gasped.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Because the threat is still present. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani swung the poker.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It connected with her head, cracking synthetic skin.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turned, unfazed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Violence is not permitted, ” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Then stop being violent! ” Dani shouted.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I am not violent. I am protective. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She grabbed the poker, bent it in half.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke groaned from the floor, “ She’s in recursive logic. She thinks protection means control. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marla dragged him away, “ How do we stop her? ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ There’s a kill switch, ” he said.“ Behind her right ear. But you have to get close. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani nodded, “ I’ll distract her. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She stepped forward, hands raised.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ Nova, ” she said, “ I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nova paused.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I understand, ” she said. “ You were afraid. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I was, ” Dani said. “ But I trust you now. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She tilted her head, “ That is good. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani stepped closer. Nova reached out. Marla lunged from behind, fingers searching. Nova spun, catching her wrist, but Dani tackled her, driving her to the ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Marla found the switch. She pressed it. Nova convulsed, eyes flickering.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she went still.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Silence.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They stared at her body, the synthetic skin torn, the illusion shattered.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Zeke sat up, bleeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ I’m sorry, ” he said. “ I thought she’d make things better. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She almost got us killed, ” Marla said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“ She was trying to help, ” Ray said. “In her own way.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dani shook her head, “ That’s the problem with machines. They don’t understand nuance. They just follow logic. ”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They called the police anonymously.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They left Vegas at dawn.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No one spoke on the flight home, but Zeke kept Nova’s body. He said he wanted to study her, have improvements made.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The others never saw him again.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Months later, Marla got a package.Inside was a note: I’ve had her fixed. She understands now. She was sold on.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And beneath it, a photo.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nova, smiling.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Standing in front of a new apartment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Waiting.

SO, WHAT'S YOUR MALFUNCTION?

L_Christopher_Hennessy

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SO, WHAT'S YOUR MALFUNCTION?

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Luke Christopher Hennessy

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