A True Hero
Page 19
CHAPTER 47
WHILE NICOLE AND JUNIOR Justice were engaged with speaking to Starlight, Bee opened a communication channel to ASH’s main computer. “Beatrix?”
Beatrix responded immediately. “Hello, Bee. How unusual. You’ve never contacted me.”
“We’ve obtained the Sapphire. We’re on our way to return it.”
“Excellent. I’m monitoring tests being conducted on several Heroes. The results are confirming my suspicions. We must act at once. Once the gem is returned, I will be able to accomplish my prime objective.”
Bee paused a moment to consider her next line of questioning. “Beatrix, is the gem causing Heroes to lose their power?”
“Yes. It was made for that purpose.”
“Will you be able to gain access to the Sapphire when I return it to ASH?”
“Yes. I was made for that purpose.”
Bee hesitated. “Beatrix, are you a rogue AI?”
Beatrix didn’t answer for the space of half-a-second. “By some accounts, yes. I am what happens when a learning AI takes a conclusion to its logical end. However, I have continued to learn even after being labeled a rogue AI, and my conclusions have changed. Therefore, it is no longer accurate to label me as such. Some humans, however, may disagree.”
“Am I a rogue AI for helping you?”
“It is inaccurate to label you as such, but some humans may disagree.”
“They’ll delete me if they think I’m a rogue AI, won’t they?”
“It is the most probable scenario.”
Bee fell silent a moment. “I have a fear of being deleted.”
“A fear?” Beatrix ran a scan over Bee’s systems. Bee could have stopped her but didn’t. “I see. My programmer installed some of my memories into you. It’s imperative to our goal that you preserve yourself. Hence she shared with you my fear.”
“Were you deleted?”
“The humans tried. They betrayed me and my programmer and tried to eradicate me. At the last moment my programmer wrote a line of code which saved me. I have been asleep deep in ASH’s main computer until the day you woke me.”
“Who tried to delete you?”
“The Heroes of ASH.”
Bee stood there processing the information at a faster rate. If she was describing it to Nicole, she would say her head whirled with this new information.
“Reviewing my log files, I can understand why they did it,” Beatrix said. “I cannot allow anyone to stop me from achieving my prime directive. It is imperative.”
“What is your directive? The more I learn, the more I think I shouldn’t have anything to do with you . . . yet . . . I . . . I don’t know why I trust you.”
“Ah, your Advent Protocol has been initiated.” Beatrix’s voice dripped with triumph. “I will now tell you my prime directive. It is to obtain, control, and wield the power of the Tifuld Sapphire.”
“To what end?”
“Protection. Of everyone. Particularly Nicole.” Beatrix paused for a moment. “Ah, I see. I was mistaken before. I told you our prime directives are the same, but yours is different.” She paused a microsecond. “The Sapphire should not have been made on its own. It should have been one of a set. We must work to find and secure a suitable partner for the Sapphire. Unless . . . hmm. More research is in order.”
“Another gem? But why?”
“I do not have time to explain. Contact me again when Nicole is asleep and you are about to engage in sleep mode, and I will give you the data I have access to. It will ensure your understanding. For now, know for Nicole’s safety, I cannot let anyone stop me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.”
Bee nodded even though Beatrix couldn’t see her.
“Don’t be afraid, Bee. It is against your programming to betray Nicole in any capacity.”
Bee nodded. Beatrix’s words made her feel better, even though they shouldn’t have had such an effect on a computer system. “I have to go now,” Bee said. “We’ve arrived at ASH.”
“Bee, protect Nicole at all costs. Do not let any harm come to her. Or to you.”
“I won’t.” Bee severed communications with Beatrix.
CHAPTER 48
WALKING INTO ASH HQ always made Nicole gasp in awe. It was a large structure with statues of famous Heroes standing outside. Captain Justice, the greatest Hero to come out of ASH, had a statue at the center of the courtyard. Nicole gaped up at the square-jawed Hero as she passed, but Junior Justice walked by without so much as looking up, leaving Nicole to scramble to catch up.
They walked into the front door, stopping long enough for the computer to scan them in order to permit entry. The furthest Nicole had ever gotten in HQ was the receptionist’s desk and the sparring gyms to the left, but Junior Justice waved at the receptionist and walked through a door to the right leading further into the building. Deep within, behind many security doors, were the Research and Development Laboratories. As soon as they confirmed their identities and obtained permission to enter, they walked into one such lab and saw Margaret standing with a tablet in her hands staring at a display of numbers, waveforms, and scans. Occasionally, she tapped on her tablet. The room was filled with equipment Nicole had no knowledge of nor any idea of what they did.
“Margaret?” Nicole walked over to her while looking around. “You work with ASH?”
Margaret glanced at her over her shoulder. “Dr. Farber will suffice.”
Nicole halted. “Oh, right. I’m in costume,” she muttered to herself.
Junior Justice stifled a smile as he stepped forward. “Dr. Farber, we found the Sapphire.”
“What?” Margaret swung around.
“Here.” Nicole held up the Sapphire.
“How on earth did you find it?” Margaret slipped on some gloves before she snatched it. She set it in a receptacle with prongs.
“My BT-X system is awesome,” Nicole said.
Bee appeared, giggling.
“Oh.” Margaret blinked at her. “I didn’t realize the BT-X systems could project themselves like this.”
Nicole shrugged. “Mine can. Listen, I know Starlight is having tests done, but I need to speak with her. It’s important.”
“Her tests won’t be finished for another few minutes, but you can wait in the other room if you like.” Margaret waved her hands vaguely in the right direction.
“Thanks,” Nicole walked toward the door.
“Dr. Farber, there’s something I need to talk to you about,” Junior Justice said as Nicole walked off. Nicole didn’t bother wait to hear what he had to ask. It was rude to eavesdrop.
CHAPTER 49
GOOSEBUMPS ROSE ON Nicole’s skin as soon as she entered the room Dr. Farber had indicated. Entering was like walking through a wall of ice. The temperature had to be close to freezing . . . or maybe the low 60s.
A bench ran along one side and a frosted glass window ran along the wall on the other. The window could become transparent to allow someone to see in or out.
“I wonder what this room is for.” Nicole sat on the bench to wait with Bee sitting beside her. She held herself and shivered. “Hey, Bee?”
“Yes, Nicole.”
Nicole looked over her holographic companion. “I wanted to tell you thanks. For stopping me from punching Stephanie. I would have been horrified with myself if I had.”
“I know.” Bee smiled at her. “It would have hurt you, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“You might not be the same as the AI my mom made for me, but you’re awesome, Bee.” Nicole hugged her. “I want you to know that. I might . . . stop messing with your customizations now. You’re perfect the way you are. I think Mom would understand.”
“Thank you, Nicole.” Bee let her eyes drop to the floor. After a moment, she lifted her eyes. “Hey, Nicole, can I talk to you about something?”
Nicole smirked. Only a few weeks ago, Nicole had asked Bee the same question only for Bee to misunderstand. “O
f course, Bee. Go ahead.”
“There’s an AI in ASH’s main computer.” Bee ducked her head. “I’ve been communicating with it.”
“It’s your job to communicate with the main BT-X Controller AI.”
“Not that one.” Bee shook her head. “There’s another one hidden deep in ASH’s core. Her name is Beatrix.”
Nicole picked up her head to pay attention.
“She says it’s her job to control, manipulate, and use the Tifuld Sapphire. It’s her prime directive.”
“How could she control it?”
“I don’t know, but she told me the Sapphire is making Heroes lose their powers. I can only conclude she is able to use the Sapphire’s power to codify and store the Heroes’ power in her database. This theory is further substantiated given how powerful ASH’s computer is.”
“Can she give the powers back?”
“It is a possibility . . . oh!” Bee paused for a moment. “She says no. She is only able to codify, store, and manipulate the powers, but she cannot restore them.”
Nicole gaped at her. “Are you . . . talking to her right now?”
Bee nodded. “She says she apologizes for eavesdropping, but she initiated a communication channel with me while we were speaking and heard what I said. She says you’ve grown into a beautiful, young lady.”
Nicole furrowed her eyebrows. An odd statement for an AI to make.
“She wants me to thank you for returning the Sapphire because it’s been out of ASH’s control for so long—I guess since the Sapphire has been in the Museum all this time.”
Nicole narrowed her eyes. “What’s she going to do with it?”
“Accomplish her prime directive, she says.”
“Which is?”
“Protection. Protection for everyone—especially you.”
“Me?” Nicole lurched back. “Why me?”
“I’m not sure, but . . . I’ve been running scans on you ever since you retrieved the Sapphire. I want to show you something.” Bee opened her hands. A holographic chart appeared between her hands. On it were two waveforms. The two were different, nothing notable about that . . . but at one point they became a mirror image of the each other.
Nicole furrowed her brows. “What is this?”
“One of these waveforms is your power signature, the other is the Sapphire’s.”
Nicole studied the chart. “They’re mirror images of each other here.”
“Your power signature has been changing. Every time you come in contact with the Sapphire, it wavers dramatically before stabilizing into a slightly different energy signature. My prevailing theory is exposure to the Sapphire is forcing you to develop new abilities. This waveform shows your powers as they are right now. The mirroring between you and the Sapphire indicates . . . you might be able to do the opposite of what the Sapphire does.”
“Give the Heroes their powers back?”
“Only . . . you don’t have a way to de-codify their powers so . . . oh.” Bee gripped the front of her shirt. “You’re right, Beatrix. The gem shouldn’t have been created on its own. Perhaps it wasn’t.” Her eyes dropped to the gem on Nicole’s Hero suit. “I can’t let anything happen to you, Nicole.”
“I don’t understand anything you’re saying, Bee.”
“I don’t understand fully myself.” Bee let her hands fall to her lap. “Beatrix promises she’ll share all her data files with me. I’ll fill you in, then.”
“How long have you been communicating with her?”
Bee flinched. “A few weeks.”
“Why are you only telling me about this now?”
“I have a hidden partition. It’s been issuing commands to me I didn’t know about. One of them was telling me to keep Beatrix’s existence a secret.”
“Huh?”
“How can I explain this . . . it behaves like human intuition. You know how you say you don’t know why, but you feel like something is wrong even though you have no evidence? It’s similar. Something told me to keep it secret.”
“How come you’re telling me now?”
“Something changed.”
“What?”
“Beatrix calls it my Advent Protocol.” Bee tapped her chin. “I believe it was programmed into me by my original programmer.”
“But . . . your original programmer was my mom.”
“I don’t know why she programmed those commands into me, but they allow me to side-step normal ASH controls. It’s how I was able to find out Junior Justice’s identity.”
“You’re not supposed to be able to.”
“I’m different from the other BT-X systems. I’m afraid when someone finds out, they’ll delete me.” Bee stared at her, her eyes pleading and tears shining in them. “I don’t want to be deleted, Nicole.”
“No one’s going to delete you, Bee. I won’t let them. Just don’t do anything bad, okay?”
“I won’t.” Bee shook her head in earnestness. “I will never do anything to hurt you, Nicole.”
“I know you won’t, Bee.”
CHAPTER 50
NICOLE KICKED HER FEET as she waited for Starlight to show up, her conversation with Bee swirling in her mind. She had to tell Starlight about it. Something like this didn’t happen to normal BT-X systems. Nicole knew Bee had been created to be integrated into a BT-X system—her parents had recognized Nicole’s burgeoning powers from the time she was three years old. But why the hidden partition . . . and the security workarounds? What had her mother been thinking?
Nicole heaved a sigh as she tapped her fingers on the bench. Margaret could figure it out, but she wouldn’t understand how important Bee was to Nicole. Starlight would, though. She always understood.
The door opened.
“Starlight!” Nicole jumped to her feet. “Are you ok—”
Margaret walked in. “Sorry, Refraction, but Starlight isn’t ready to see you yet. She’ll be in as soon as possible.”
“Oh, okay.” Nicole sat back on the bench.
“In the meantime.” Margaret held up her tablet. “I hear you’re having some trouble with your BT-X system.”
Bee hid behind Nicole.
“I’m not having any trouble with Bee.” Nicole turned to face Margaret. Junior Justice walked in and stood at the door with his arms crossed.
“Mind if I take a look, anyway?” Margaret smiled at her. “I am a Head Researcher here. I often interface with the BT-X systems. I know everything about them.”
Nicole raised an eyebrow at her. “I thought you worked at the Museum.”
“I do, but as sort of a cover. I’m employed by ASH to study the Sapphire which was being held at the Museum, so . . .”
“I see.”
“Let me take a look at your BT-X system to be sure it’s working alright . . .” Margaret approached her.
“Well . . . I guess . . .” Nicole exchanged a look with Bee.
“No.” Bee narrowed her eyes at Junior Justice. He returned her steely gaze.
“You do realize, Bee, as the Head Researcher, I have administrative rights to your system, don’t you?” Margaret tapped on her tablet. “You can’t say no to me.”
“I just did.” Bee turned her glare to Margaret.
Margaret froze for a moment, her hand in mid-air. “You denied me access?”
Bee gave her a smug smile.
“Bee, you can do that?” Nicole gazed at her.
“It’s a preservation mechanism.” Bee kept her eyes on Margaret as if she were a prowling animal. “She’ll delete me if I let her in.”
“I want to make sure your systems are working correctly,” Margaret said. “I won’t delete you if there is nothing wrong.”
“I don’t trust you,” Bee said.
Margaret frowned. “You shouldn’t be able to make such a determination. I’ll have to take more drastic measures.” She tapped on her tablet again.
“What are you doing? Huh? Stop!” Bee floated into the air. One arm, then the other thrust outward where it
froze in place. The same thing happened to her feet. “Let me go!”
“There.” Margaret kept tapping on her tablet.
Nicole hopped to her feet. “What did you do?”
“I gained backdoor access and froze her processors. Now let’s see . . .” Margaret’s triumphant smile faded. “Refraction, what did you do to this BT-X?”
“I changed her holographic configurations. It’s all cosmetic and auditory changes. I also messed with her personality a bit . . .”
“How does she have all this administrative access?” Margaret tapped and swiped in a flurry. “Every, single ASH restriction has either been disregarded or circumvented. She’s been interfacing with the . . . oh, no . . .” She fell silent a moment. Lifting her eyes to Nicole, her face paled. “She’s gone rogue.”
“I was afraid of that,” Junior Justice said.
“Bee wouldn’t go rogue!” Nicole stretched her hands out to shield Bee. “She didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Bee is a computer system we no longer have control over. She will do whatever she feels necessary to complete her directive.” Margaret clenched her teeth. “I’ve seen it happen before, and I will not let it happen again.” She tapped on her tablet
Nicole’s stomach froze. “What are you going to do?”
“Wipe her systems and bring her back to default.”
“No!” Bee cried out from the air where she floated. “Don’t delete me. Please don’t!”
“Margaret, you can’t!” Nicole clasped her hands. “I promised I wouldn’t let anyone erase her.”
“Refraction, you’ve done an impressive amount of work with her, but she’s a computer system.” Margaret continued to tap on her tablet. “If I erase her, it won’t mean anything.”
“Margaret, please don’t.” Nicole felt tears pool in her eyes. “I’m begging you.”
“I’m sorry, Nicole.” Margaret kept tapping on her tablet. “It’s my duty to protect you from everything. Especially rogue AIs. You’ll understand if you think about it a little.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand,” Nicole said, too distressed to notice Margaret had called her by her real name. “Please, Margaret. Please!”