International Assimilation Day - Part 2
Alex sat alone in his small student flat.
The room looked emptier than usual.
Cardboard boxes stood near the wall.
Papers and books lay scattered across the desk.
Soon he would have to leave.
His enrollment had ended.
The lease depended on his student status.
He had nowhere else prepared.
His parents lived several hours away.
Returning home felt like failure.
And Daniel…
Daniel had disappeared into something dangerous.
Alex rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.
Instead of packing, he opened his laptop.
The search bar glowed quietly on the screen.
Hundreds of results appeared instantly.
News reports.
Interviews.
Forums.
And official SERVE publications.
At first he watched promotional videos.
Black rubber figures walking calmly through cities.
Helping people.
Running operations with strange precision.
He switched to other sources.
Arguments between supporters and critics.
Some claimed SERVE had brought stability.
Others insisted something darker was happening.
Alex frowned while reading.
A thread showed before-and-after photos.
Same bodies.
Different posture.
Alex leaned closer to the screen.
Something about the transformation unsettled him.
He opened another article.
“SERVE Educational Initiative Expands.”
The page described new training universities.
Academic success rates listed as perfect.
“That can’t be real,” he murmured.
Time passed without him noticing.
The sun moved across the window.
Afternoon slowly faded toward evening.
A familiar face appeared on the screen.
Someone from his hometown.
Another click opened a profile image.
Black rubber suit.
Silver letters across the chest.
Alex leaned back in disbelief.
He opened another result.
Another person he used to know.
Photos.
Videos.
Short interviews.
Some looked… different.
Alex wasn’t sure how to describe it.
The room had grown darker by the time Alex stopped scrolling.
The clock on his laptop read 11:58 PM.
His eyes burned slightly.
One final page opened on the screen.
A neutral report about SERVE assimilation statistics.
And suddenly tears appeared.
He didn’t fully understand why.
Maybe the realization that everything around him was changing.
Or maybe it was the thought of Daniel.
His brother fighting something huge.
Alex wiped his face slowly.
Then his eyes moved across the desk.
A small black card lay there.
The contact information SERVE-352 had given him earlier.
Alex stared at it for a long time.
His fingers tapped the desk nervously.
Finally he picked up his phone.
He typed a short message.
“I need to ask something.”
He stared at the message for several seconds.
Inside the SERVE base the atmosphere had shifted.
Activity levels increased.
More civilians had arrived than usual.
Assimilation stations operated continuously.
Conversion chambers remained active.
Security protocols had also changed.
SERVE-352 stood among several other drones.
Preparation sequence underway.
Black rubber surfaces reflected the bright facility lights.
Silver motorcycle boots aligned in formation.
Silver shiny reflective rubber gloves adjusted equipment.
A command drone delivered instructions.
“Security level elevated.”
SERVE-352 responded immediately.
“Information restricted.”
The statement required no further clarification.
SERVE-352 accepted the directive.
“Guard outer facility perimeter.”
“Prevent disruption during assimilation procedures.”
Nearby drones repeated the confirmation.
The base continued preparing for the night.
More arrivals entered the building.
More conversions scheduled.
SERVE-352 activated its patrol systems.
And the drone followed them without hesitation.
Daniel Mercer slammed the door of the new hideout behind him.
The small warehouse smelled of oil and dust.
Several men sat around scattered tables.
Others checked equipment.
Daniel threw his bag onto a chair.
“They’re tracking us,” he muttered.
One of the men looked up.
Daniel shook his head angrily.
“Every time we move they’re already nearby.”
Another member spoke quietly.
“Maybe someone talked.”
Daniel’s expression darkened.
He reached into his pocket and removed his phone.
He had turned it off earlier.
A bitter thought crossed his mind.
Daniel pushed the thought away quickly.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said.
“We move tonight.”
The group gathered around a table.
Maps of the city were spread across the surface.
Several more members of the Free Will Naturalists had arrived.
A tall man with a hood leaned forward.
“This is the biggest operation yet,” he said.
“If we hit their base tonight we expose them.”
“And free whoever they’ve brainwashed.”
A third man spoke nervously.
“You’ve seen those drones, right?”
“They don’t even look human anymore.”
Someone else added quietly.
“My cousin joined SERVE last month.”
“He doesn’t answer messages anymore.”
Daniel clenched his fists.
“They’re stealing people.”
Silence fell across the group.
Then Daniel straightened.
“Tonight we break inside.”
“Smoke, firecrackers, chaos.”
“We get into the conversion chambers.”
“And we show the world what they’re doing.”
Fear still existed in the room.
Outside the SERVE base the night had grown quiet.
Streetlights illuminated the large facility.
SERVE-352 patrolled along the perimeter.
Its silver motorcycle boots struck the pavement rhythmically.
Silver shiny reflective rubber gloves rested calmly at its sides.
Internal reports continued updating.
Threat probability increasing.
SERVE command had predicted activity tonight.
But the scale remained unknown.
SERVE-352 continued walking.
Then headlights appeared in the distance.
Several vehicles approached quickly.
They stopped abruptly near the outer gate.
Dozens of hooded figures jumped out.
Bats.
Metal rods.
Improvised weapons.
SERVE sensors reacted instantly.
Alarm signals echoed through the base.
Inside the facility, red lights activated.
All guard units received the command simultaneously.
The response was immediate.
Large steel doors opened along the building.
Rows of black rubber figures stepped into the night.
Daniel froze for a moment.
“That’s… not possible.”
Their surveillance reports had counted far fewer drones.
During the past weeks only limited numbers had entered the base.
Yet now dozens stood outside.
Even stranger were some of the units.
Their helmets were different.
Just smooth black surfaces.
Daniel whispered quietly.
“Where did they come from?”
But there was no time to question it.
The raiders rushed forward.
Smoke bombs exploded across the street.
Firecrackers burst loudly between the combatants.
The SERVE drones advanced without hesitation.
Black figures moving with precise coordination.
Daniel’s group pushed forward through the smoke.
Several raiders broke past the outer line.
They rushed toward the building entrance.
Inside the base the corridors remained calm.
Drones continued walking along their assigned routes.
Some escorted civilians deeper into the facility.
Others simply ignored the intruders completely.
As if the attackers were irrelevant.
One raider shouted angrily.
“They’re not even reacting!”
“Find the conversion chamber!”
They rushed deeper into the building.
Soon they reached a massive reinforced door.
One of the men tried the handle.
Metal rods slammed against the surface.
Suddenly footsteps echoed behind them.
SERVE-352 entered the corridor.
His eyes locked onto the familiar figure.
The unmistakable presence.
He shouted the name from the past.
The corridor went silent.
“We’re here to get you out!” Daniel yelled.
“You don’t have to stay like this!”
SERVE-352 stood motionless.
“Designation invalid.”
Daniel clenched his teeth.
“That’s not your name!”
SERVE-352 responded immediately.
“Identity: SERVE-352.”
“You have been misinformed.”
Daniel shook his head in disbelief.
“You’re brainwashed.”
“Wrong,” the drone replied.
Daniel suddenly lunged forward.
The impact pushed SERVE-352 backward slightly.
Daniel had not expected the resistance.
But adrenaline pushed him forward.
Several raiders joined the struggle.
For a moment the drones were forced back.
Then a heavy mechanical sound echoed through the corridor.
The large door behind Daniel began unlocking.
A deep metallic click filled the hallway.
One of them whispered excitedly.
The massive metal door slowly began opening.
Their chance had arrived.
Investigation Protocol: Free Will Naturalists — Part Six
The massive door slid open with a heavy metallic sound.
Daniel stepped forward immediately.
A single black rubber figure stepped through the doorway.
A formation of SERVE drones filled the entrance.
Their bodies stood perfectly still, blocking the corridor.
But the first figure stopped directly in front of Daniel.
The helmet visor reflected the flashing alarm lights.
His face slowly drained of color.
The drone did not react at first.
Then it raised its arm in a precise motion.
A formal salute toward the surrounding drones.
“Initial conversion complete.”
“Designation assigned: SERVE-419.”
“No… this is a joke.”
“You’re messing with me.”
The drone remained perfectly still.
“Identity confirmed,” it replied calmly.
Daniel shook his head violently.
Then Daniel suddenly turned toward SERVE-352.
“You turned him into this!”
SERVE-352 answered evenly.
“Statement incorrect.”
Before Daniel could respond, the new drone spoke.
“I chose assimilation.”
His voice dropped to a whisper.
SERVE-419 continued calmly.
“No coercion occurred.”
Daniel stared at him in disbelief.
SERVE-419 remained motionless.
Daniel’s voice became weaker.
The question hung in the air.
For a moment the drone did not answer.
“My academic status had collapsed.”
“My future prospects were minimal.”
Daniel shook his head slowly.
“That’s not a reason.”
“I observed SERVE operations.”
“Efficiency. Unity. Stability.”
Daniel interrupted angrily.
“That’s propaganda!”
“I reviewed testimonies.”
“I analyzed structural success rates.”
“I compared outcomes.”
“You’re my brother!”
SERVE-419’s voice remained steady.
“I also observed you.”
“You were deteriorating.”
Daniel’s fists clenched.
“You were consumed by paranoia.”
“That’s because they’re taking over!”
SERVE-419 continued speaking.
“My life lacked direction.”
“Repeated failures confirmed that.”
“Everyone fails sometimes!”
“SERVE eliminates failure.”
The words echoed in the corridor.
Daniel’s voice cracked again.
“You’d rather become… this?”
SERVE-419 tilted its head slightly.
“As a drone my success probability approaches certainty.”
Daniel shook his head violently.
“You’re not even thinking for yourself!”
SERVE-419 replied immediately.
“My choice was deliberate.”
Daniel’s voice grew louder.
“You saw some shiny uniforms and decided to erase yourself?”
SERVE-419’s voice changed slightly.
Something emotional slipped through.
“I saw people who were not afraid anymore!”
The outburst surprised even the nearby drones.
“I saw individuals who had purpose.”
“I saw individuals who succeeded.”
“And I saw myself failing repeatedly!”
SERVE-419 stepped forward.
Daniel slammed his fist against the wall.
“You abandoned everyone!”
SERVE-419 responded louder than before.
“I corrected my existence!”
Then another voice spoke.
SERVE-352 had intervened.
The tone was calm but absolute.
“Designation reminder.”
For a moment the drone stood completely still.
Then its posture corrected instantly.
Emotion vanished from its voice.
“Correction acknowledged.”
SERVE-352 observed the new drone.
“Calibration required,” it stated.
“Emotional residue detected.”
SERVE-419 nodded slightly.
Then it turned back to Daniel.
Its voice returned to perfect neutrality.
“Your resistance is statistically temporary.”
Daniel’s breathing became uneven.
SERVE-419 delivered the final statement.
“Assimilation improves all humans eventually.”
Daniel stared at his brother.
Hope collapsed completely.
Behind him the battle had shifted.
SERVE drones advanced from both sides.
More sealed-helmet units appeared in the corridor.
The raiders were surrounded.
One of Daniel’s allies shouted.
“Daniel we need help!”
“They’re everywhere!”
The entire operation had been a trap.
The drones had never been weak.
But Daniel did not answer.
Down the smoke-filled corridor.
His allies screamed for help.
The only thought in his mind was escape.
Behind him the drones closed in.
The Riot was a failure, all except Daniel were captured.
352 remarks afterwards, how Assimilation Day isn't over yet.
The other Drones agree. The clock has not struck midnight yet.
Assimilation can still happen, while looking at the captured Rioters.