by Paul Teague
A distinctive logo showed crisp and in sharp definition on the screen. It was actually in 3D. Mike stopped short of embarrassing himself by reaching out to try to touch the logo. There were younger eyes on him and he didn’t want to appear to be too much of a ‘dad’.
A small group had gathered around Mike’s terminal, sensing that something important and impressive was going on. The distinctive logo rotated slowly in the desk space just in front on Mike. It was proof of his success. His wormhole had stood the test of time. His coding skills as a teenager had sat there undetected for over twenty years. They were in.
Mike had full access to The Global Consortium systems. He had the Genesis 2 project at his fingertips.
23:17 Quadrant 3: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Magnus sat at a remote secured terminal in the Quadrant 3 Meeting Room. The blinds were shut, but he’d brought in a young comms engineer called Sam to assist him.
Like Mike, Magnus was what you might call a highly accomplished geek. He’d had a similar background to the other Custodians, which was why he now found himself in this particular role.
Magnus had been a tech entrepreneur in his former life, the head of Magnum Enterprises. He’d created the world’s first adaptive algorithm. In short, it was just a few steps away from allowing tech to think and adapt according to circumstances.
The applications of his discovery had been immediately enormous, yet threatening. Like Mike, he’d received a visit from a group of officials in suits. Unlike Mike they’d come to court him, not to intimidate him to stop his activities.
Magnus was given a very substantial amount of money not to make the algorithm commercially available. In fact, as far as the tech world was concerned, he was a geek ‘has been’. The great discovery which had been promised on the cover of Time Magazine had never really come to anything and Magnus had disappeared from the spotlight.
Most people never thought about him again. Others assumed he’d overpromised and under-delivered and been cast aside. In actual fact, he had millions of dollars in the bank and a custom built office suite – along with the best tech minds in the world – working on some top secret projects in Detroit. Hidden in open view.
While the rest of the world mourned an economy gone bad, Magnus worked on projects which could have paid for every person in that state to own their own palace – if his work was ever released commercially that is. But this work was never going to see the light of day, not in an industrial setting at least.
An adaptive algorithm was the biggest breakthrough in tech that only a handful of people were ever going to know about. Using this algorithm, computers and laptops could self-diagnose, learn and adapt from problems and expand their memory exponentially. It meant that computer-powered cars could effectively heal themselves by diagnosing problems and making ongoing adjustments, regenerating themselves as new and improved models, and actually ‘learning’ with every mile that was travelled.
Magnus had created the algorithm that would eventually make computers sentient. It could not make them feel, but it gave them – in tech terms – the same ability to learn, reflect, consider, weigh up, and improve that the human brain experiences.
Concealed below ground under the ruins of an abandoned factory, if anybody had cared to notice, they’d have seen some of the most expensive cars imaginable driving in and out of the vandalized entrance to an underground car park. Where they went, nobody would have known. Like bees, they entered and left, one, sometimes two, at a time. What honey they were making, nobody knew.
Magnus had become an expert at war games in his secret, underground offices. Among many other applications that his teams had discovered for his algorithm, they’d come up with a military deployment that had made somebody at the top of the command chain very excited.
Magnus had created it originally as a device to assist people with disabilities, whose bodies lay out of their control, even though their minds might still be sharp and alert. He’d been inspired – and moved – by the case of people with ‘locked-in syndrome’, a terrible condition where patients cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of virtually all of their voluntary muscles, with the exception of the eyes.
Magnus had created an exoskeleton using his algorithm. This amazing device would allow people with locked in syndrome to move once again. The adaptive algorithm could learn what the test subject wanted to do at an incredible speed and – as it adapted faster and faster – the time between eye movement and action became as instantaneous as if there were zero paralysis.
The tech teams had then begun to develop the exoskeleton as a biological component. It was effectively a layer of skin created in the lab which contained the exoskeleton in an undetectable form, like a powered suit that nobody could even see. Things then took a sudden and unfortunate turn for Magnus. Whoever was funding these projects wanted the human applications of his work to stop.
For a while Magnus had seen a glimpse of a future where people in wheelchairs could walk again and where those with Parkinson’s disease would no longer suffer from the effects of tremors or stiffness. For a brief time he thought that he was going to be able to change the world, to make a remarkable difference to thousands of lives. Magnus had grown tired of his wealth, and disillusioned with his work in this underground office.
He’d experienced a spark of light when he realized how his algorithm discoveries could be used, but his employers were more interested in the military applications. Magnus had been instructed to mass produce the original, metallic exoskeletons on an industrial scale, but he didn’t know what for. They wouldn’t tell him. He felt as though he’d sold his soul.
The exoskeletons were to be created to a specific size and design. The biological element was not required, the strong, metallic frames of the prototypes were sufficient. He didn’t know how these were going to be used, but he had an uncomfortable feeling that it would not be benefitting humanity in the way that he would have preferred.
These uncomfortable memories skimmed through his mind as Magnus considered the chain of events that had led to him being where he was right now. At last, there was a chance for him to do something meaningful. He felt as if he’d supped with the Devil during his former life in Detroit, but now, with these people, in this bunker, he hoped that he could do something that would finally help humanity.
Magnus and Sam swiftly created a scanning program which could detect and unscramble the encrypted SOS messages currently being transmitted by Viktor and Xiang, as well as from his own bunker. It was fairly simple to do, when you knew that the messages were being broadcast in the first place.
First they found their own message and backward engineered the encryption and transmission that was being sent out from their own bunker. That gave them the information that they needed to scan for the alerts being broadcast by Viktor and Xiang, because they were no longer looking for a needle in a haystack.
Once they’d found the encrypted broadcasts, Sam ran it through a clever extraction program that he’d created rapidly at his terminal. Between them, within fifteen minutes, they’d managed to locate the precise source of Viktor and Xiang’s emergency broadcasts, figure out the systems and protocols used, and re-engineer it for broadcast and reception.
Magnus felt pleased with himself. This work was nourishing his soul, more than giving away many of his millions to charities and good causes could ever have done. Magnus was a man who needed to do good things. When he did things that were not so good, as he had been doing in Detroit for many years now, it sucked the life and energy out of him.
As he prepared to send the first two-way communication between Quadrants 2 and 4, Magnus finally realized that his purpose in life was to use his skills and aptitude only for good. It wasn’t about money, cars and prestige for him – he just wanted to do amazing things for humanity, that’s what he needed to do, it’s why he was put on this Earth.
That’s why it would have destroyed him to know that at that very
moment, thousands of kilometres away, the exoskeletons that could have helped so many thousands of human beings were about to be deployed in a way that could potentially kill every single one of them.
23:19 Quadrant 1: Troywood, Fife
Kate has found her way to the lower levels. I hoped we’d have more time, at least to stop the drones, but she beat us to it. We’ve stopped the remaining drones launching at least and I’m assuming that Magnus wants that enabling unit to prevent them from being reactivated. The big question is, if only Nat and I can get down here, and we didn’t set off the drones, who did? And what access do they have to this bunker?
Too many questions to answer right now. The security team is making its way along the long corridor in our direction. They’re shooting, but they’re not trying to hit us, they don’t seem to want us dead. They want to back us into the drones’ hangar, where they think they can contain us, I think.
But Nat has a plan. She’d spotted something earlier among the drones and she thinks we have a way out. As for Mum, James and Simon, they’ll have to fend for themselves. I’m going to give them a tip off though – Kate may have security teams on their level by now.
I use the Comms-Tab to alert Mum and I’m relieved to hear that they’re okay at the moment, even though something seems to be going on in the corridor outside. They prepare to hide, to buy themselves more time.
I contact Magnus, seeing what Nat is leading me towards now. ‘Magnus, we’re going to try and get to one of the other Quadrants,’ I say. ‘Can you communicate with them yet?’
‘I’m just on it,’ says Magnus. He sounds pleased with himself.
‘We’re going to try for Quadrant 4, can you tell them we’re coming?’
‘Will do,’ replies Magnus. ‘Good luck!’
I hope that Kate doesn’t have Comms-Tab access yet. They’ve only just got access to the lower levels, so I reckon that we still have a bit more time where we can communicate with each other securely.
Nat has seen a Transporter unit, much like the one we used earlier when we were first reunited. They seem to have these things all over the place down here. Nat thinks we can use this to make our escape, but unlike the lift, it’s not quite so clear how these things work. Still, we don’t have that many options at this moment, so I agree with Nat – we have to try. If they reach us now, with the enabling device, not only can they launch the remaining drones, they could also force Nat and me to give them access to the other Quadrants. If they don’t have it already, that is.
Nat and I step on the Transporter – it seems to be here primarily to transport things rather than people. We both scan the control panel, desperately trying to remember what we did before. There’s a main, larger panel, we place our hand on that. The Transporter gives a jolt, just like the lift had done earlier, as if it had recognized us in some way. Unlike the lifts, there are no numbers on this fascia, we just have to take pot luck and try and guess which of the weird symbols will take us to Quadrant 4, based on the order that they’re in.
The doors slide open and the security teams are here. The hangar is vast, so it takes them a moment or two to scan the area and focus on where we are. They start to run in our direction, and Nat and I look at each other, knowing the urgency of this situation. ‘That one!’ we say simultaneously, pointing to the same symbol.
We press the button and the Transporter beams surge into life. The approaching security guards stop dead as they fade out of our view and our new location materializes in front of our eyes.
Chapter Four
23:20 Quadrant 4: Dixia Cheng, Beijing
Xiang was sitting at her console, wondering what could be done to avert this imminent attack. She was feeling rather useless, her bunker seemed to have no defensive capabilities. The most that she could hope for would be to preserve the lives of her team and to protect the structure of the bunker as best they could. She had her tech teams working on communicating with the other bunkers, but they had no way – it seemed – of getting in touch. Only hours ago she’d thought they were the only bunker.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a persistent alert on her E-Pad. It was an incoming message. Xiang’s spirits lifted as realized what this must be. One of the other bunkers had worked out how to make a direct communication. Xiang opened up the channel and a face appeared on her E-Pad. It was an American man, middle-aged, very well groomed.
‘I’m Magnus!’ he exclaimed. ‘I’m hoping that you’re the Custodian for Quadrant 4?’
‘Xiang. Pleased to meet you!’ she replied. The common language in the bunkers was English. Xiang spoke five languages, but at least The Global Consortium had thought to ensure a common language as standard protocol.
‘Sending some data directly to you, unencrypt using code ZZ5llb581P,’ continued Magnus, and Xiang watched as the data arrived.
Magnus was sending her updates on everything they knew and the comms information required for the three remaining Quadrants to communicate with each other. Magnus knew that he was taking a bit of a chance on this. As far as they all knew, Quadrant 1 was the only bunker that had been sabotaged, but he’d built in a remote scramble code line in the data. If Xiang proved to be hostile, he could remotely delete the data that he’d just sent her. Magnus had learned early in his career – always keep control of the ‘off’ button.
Xiang scanned the data quickly, passing on key elements to senior members of her team in a movement of her finger.
‘You may have two people entering your bunker Xiang,’ Magnus began, when he decided that she’d had enough time to get the gist of the information.
‘These two young people are crucial to our ongoing safety and you need to give them everything that they ask for.
‘I’m not sure where they’ll surface in the bunker – in fact they’re not quite sure if they’ll even get to your Quadrant.
‘Please read the briefing I just sent you and see what you can do to help. I’m going to establish contact with Quadrant 2 and you should do the same as soon as you can.’
Xiang was already onto it. She’d alerted her security teams, and at that very moment they were making their way to the lift areas where the two new arrivals would need to surface to access the upper bunker.
She hadn’t realized how tense her breathing had been. Now there seemed to be a fighting chance: if the remaining three Quadrants could work together, there was still hope. Her fears returned instantly as the entire bunker shook as if it had been stepped on by a massive giant. The first drone had reached Beijing. The attack had begun.
23:21 Quadrant 2: Balaklava Bay, Crimea
Viktor’s years spent fighting as a rebel had taught him many important things. One of those things was that sometimes you have to choose the person that you are going to be in times of battle. He was much happier immersed in nature, in his own company, away from the rest of the world. But to survive in life he’d had to become ruthless, violent and scheming. This was not his true self. He soon learned that if he was going to get through life, he’d had to make whatever changes were necessary. So he knew now what he needed to do to continue to survive.
When Magnus made contact with him via his E-Pad, he was of course relieved that the remaining three bunkers could now work together to defend themselves against the drone attack and combine their energies to defeat Quadrant 1. But as Viktor received the same data and intelligence that Xiang had read only minutes before, from an American who appeared assured and over confident, he knew what he must do to maintain the upper hand. Only he would know for now about the drone submarines that were concealed within this base. This was his trump card, his ability to turn things to his favour if force or threat became a necessity.
And now he knew from Magnus’s briefing how he would access that fire power. The secret was the twins. They were the key to his plan.
Cryogenics
These Transporters are a bit like playing Russian roulette for Nat and me at the moment. We have escaped from the drone hangar, but because we
can’t figure out the symbols yet, we haven’t a clue where we are. What we can now see though is that these Transporters work the much same as the lifts. We can move between rooms – and hopefully Quadrants – using them.
They seem to operate on the same principal as the lift too. Activation appears to need both of us, after that it looks like we can use them on our own. Whoever thought this all out must have had a strategy, but whatever it was, I can’t work it out.
Still, it appears that Kate can’t reach us; she doesn’t seem to have what she needs to operate these Transporters. Though she now has access to the lower levels of Quadrant 1, we need to know how she did that. If she can travel as freely as we can, the remaining Quadrants are in big trouble.
Nat and I look around our new location. On the surface, it has barely changed. It’s a massive hangar – more like a storage facility here though.
We are surrounded by a labyrinth of circular units of all shapes and sizes. They look like they’re running at extremely low temperatures – I’d hazard a guess that we’re now in a room full of refrigerators, but it’s not immediately obvious what is inside them.
It’s around the edges of this storage facility where the answers seem to lie though. There are thousands of pod units, clearly from the same origins as those used in the BioFiltration Area. Only these are not incubating living, breathing organisms. These have a completely different use.
Nat and I step closer. It’s hard to see what’s inside because of the ice and the frost in here. We rub away at the misted glass and are shocked to see the contents of these pods. They contain babies, children, teenagers, and adults. Males and females of every age up to about thirty I’d guess. Still, frozen, inanimate. Thousands of them.