The Reality Plague

by Doug Welch

  Jake had fallen asleep under the tree. At the sound of the tractor he woke and walked out onto the road. The sun lay low near the horizon. Liv had returned as she promised. This time, she rode near the driver in the front of the vehicle. The sight startled him. Jake's throat tightened. The tractor stopped. She stepped down from it and walked to the tree. She halted when she saw his face. “I guess you know.”

  He felt his chest grow tight and a pain started to clench his gut. He knew “You're not coming back.”

  Liv looked down and bit her bottom lip. Then her head came up to look at him. “I'm going to stay with these people.”

  He hid his hurt and disappointment, but inside the pain started to become unbearable. If this is how love feels, maybe it’s good thing that we can no longer express it. He silently gathered up the blanket and turned to walk away, back toward the city.

  “Wait! Jake, it’s not what you think.”

  He stopped, staring at the city. “Yeah? Then what is it? It's obvious you made your choice. Now I've got to live with mine.”

  “You're my friend, Jake, the only friend I have. Maybe – maybe more than my friend. I need you.”

  A small hope flared, but then died. “Need me? Need me for what? You've got what you came for. Leave me alone. It was probably foolish to think we could ever be together. I've got to learn to accept things the way they are and stop hoping. There is no hope. It's just the way things are.”

  Her voice when she replied sounded tight, like it held nearly unmanageable anguish. “You're wrong! Trust me. Come back tomorrow. I'll be waiting here, under the tree. We'll talk then. Come at the same time. The time when we found the tree.”

  He turned to look at her. “Talk? About what? Why can't we talk now?”

  “Dave,” she pointed back to the tractor, “he's the man driving the tractor – he says the city isn't safe at night. You need to hurry back. But, I promise. I'll be here and we'll talk this out. Same time tomorrow. Remember under the tree at the same time we got here. OK?”

  Jake hesitated. Her words gave him some hope. The feeling might be futile, but still more than he had before. “OK, tomorrow then, here, about twelve noon. I'll be here.”

  “Good I've got to go. You go home and have a good night's sleep. Until tomorrow.” She turned to go but then stopped and turned back. “And Jake – please, please be patient with me. Have hope.” She walked back to the tractor.

  Jake hurried back to the city, reluctant to linger in its outskirts at dark. He barely managed to make it to the train station before the sun disappeared. As he traveled back to the cube, he brooded over the day's events, pondering their meaning. Liv hid something, but what? What could account for her strange behavior? What did she want from him? Was she using him? If so, for what? How could Dave and his friends live outside the city? He had a plethora of questions, and no foundation upon which to find the answers. He returned late to the cube and let himself in. He cleaned the rooms, removing all trace of Liv's presence, and then reactivated Alice. Liv had erased all recordings of her presence in the cube, or so she said. She seemed to have an inordinate knowledge of the systems and how to manipulate them.

  “Good evening Jake. Where have I been?” Liv had warned him that the artificial intelligence would be curious as to why he shut it down. Alice had just confirmed it.

  “I needed some privacy, Alice, to work through some of my problems. I'm better now.”

  “Shouldn't you use the mind-doc, Jake?”

  “No I won't need it. I'm tired. I just need to eat and get some sleep.”

  “Very well. Shall I prepare you a meal?”

  “Yes, Alice.” He felt that his AI harbored suspicions, but without conclusive facts it could not intervene, it would be against its programming. Alice needed overwhelming evidence before she could force him to comply with her requests. The thought frightened him. He had never been afraid of the system before. The feelings made him want to leave and never return to the cube, but he knew that would be a red flag of guilt to it. After his meal he settled into his chair. “Lights out, Alice.” He lay awake for a long time, thinking.

  He knew the inner turmoil that kept him awake stemmed form jealousy but he couldn’t help it. The mind doc called the feeling foolish and in a net world the AI was probably right. In the net there were no commitments. It was all about sex, not affection. One partner looked the same as the next and there were many willing partners.

  Liv was different. She meant something to him. What started as a simple human need for contact had become something more, something hard to define. If it was love, it wasn’t an easy feeling and he felt as though he stood perilously close to the edge of a precipice. One step more and he would tumble. He restlessly tossed and turned for a long while but finally sleep overcame him.

  Chapter 5

  Commitment

  Jake tried to follow his normal daily routine. Alice would become suspicious if he didn't. He felt like he cheated on his wife. He briefly wondered why he had assigned a female gender to his cube AI, as though he'd married it.

  He had to leave at the right time if he wanted to get to the edge of the city by noon. He thought about shutting her down again, but that would likely lead to disaster. Turning off his AI and venturing out of the cube did not fit with his normal behavior. It knew he traveled to work at specific times of the week. Any departure from that routine would likely signal the AI to investigate. He stood perilously close to triggering a visit from the mind-doc, or worse.

  He thought about the only avenue of escape that remained open, the weekly trips to the company's offices. Did that offer an opportunity? I need help. Who can I turn to?

  In the entire city he could count the number of people he really knew on one hand. Then he thought about what Allan had said. “Not many people left who try to live in the real world, Jake. You give me hope.” Can Allen help me? With that thought he formed a vague plan.

  “Alice, command mode.”

  “Yes Jake.”

  “Net-connect Allan Foster, office ambiance.”

  “Yes sir.” The AI's voice had changed from seductive confidant to professional assistant. His room's environment transformed into the interior of a spacious, spotless executive office. He stood behind its wide, gleaming desk.

  Allan stood in front of the desk. He looked surprised. “Jake, nice to net you, what can I do for you?”

  “Did you get my virtual about the production problems?”

  “Yes, but I don't know what you expect me to do about it.”

  “Well, upper management gave me full authority to solve all of the problems.” He smiled ironically.

  Allan laughed. “Sounds like they gave you a sword so you could fall on it.”

  “Maybe, but I doubt that they knew how seriously I would take their permissions.”

  Allan's smile faded. “What do you have in mind, Jake?”

  “Something's happened to the plant that makes the chairs. It requires human intervention. I need you to meet me at the site in person. We may be able to solve it.”

  “At the site? Jake, I don't – “

  He interrupted him. “At the site, Allan. Wear a haz-suit if you want, but be there in about half an hour.”

  Allan stared at him for a long moment. Jake gritted his teeth and waited, hoping that Allan would sense his need, and respond to it. “All right, I'll be there.”

  “Thank you Allan. I knew I could rely on you. Alice, disconnect.” The office scene vanished, replaced by his cube. “You heard, Alice, I'm going to the plant.”

  “Is it really necessary, Jake?”

  “Yes the factory AI can't solve it, and we can't get technical help. We'll have to take care of it ourselves. I have to go. I'll be back when we fix it.” He dressed and exited the cube. The plant site, fortunately, lay in the direction he needed to travel to get to the outskirts of the city. The trip on the tube train took a little more than a half hour. He exited the underground, and walked to the plant site. Allan wa
ited for him in front of the low nondescript building; he didn't wear a haz-suit.

  When Jake reached him, he looked ready to say something, but Jake gave a slight negative shake of his head, and he remained silent. They went to the plant's service entrance and entered the factory. The service entrance led to an anteroom where human safety equipment, including hearing protectors, lay racked against the wall. At Jake's direction, they donned the hearing protectors which contained communicators so they could converse amidst the overwhelming noise from the factory floor.

  Jake had counted on that. They exited the room, and proceeded into the cramped, machine-packed factory. The aisle they traveled left barely enough room to walk single file. The oily smell of the machines and the stinging, stinking fumes from the complex processes assaulted his nose. We should have worn nose plugs. He could feel the muffled roar of the manufacturing plant as it vibrated through his body. He knew now, the real reason that technicians refused to work on the equipment. Jake led him through the narrow way, deeper into the center until he found a clear space with a large amount of equipment surrounding it. Here, where communication with the net would be cut off, they could talk at a comfortable distance in private. Allan looked impatient “What's this all about Jake? You know we can't do a damn thing here.”

  Jake just looked at him, forming an opinion. Finally he realized he had no other choice. “I know. This is about something else, something far more important.”

  “What the fuck are you being so cryptic about? If you've got something on your mind, just say it. What's all this cloak and dagger shit?”

  He didn't answer the question. “Allan, do you remember when you said that the way I felt about reality gave you hope?”

  “Yes, so what? You and I both know there's not a chance in hell they'll ever find an answer to the plague. I think everyone's just waiting to die.”

  “What if there is a hope, not a large one, just above nothing. What if someone had the answers? What would you do?”

  Allan looked stricken. His face turned white, and tears formed in his eyes. His voice came out harsh, nearly a whisper. “Don't do this Jake. I can't – I can't go there. I've spent nearly ten years of my life, facing the end, and to think – no – no I can't.”

  “I've met someone, Allan, a woman. I think she knows something, something about the plague. Something that might allow all of us to live a normal human life. To love again and have a family. If there's the slightest chance she's right, I have to follow it. I need your help. All I'm asking you to do now is to go with me and meet her.”

  “Is this what it's all about?” he raged. “Some fucking cunt who you can't even touch? Is that what this is, Jake? If it is, you can count me out!” He turned to leave.

  “Wait Allan, wait” He stopped moving and waited. “OK. I'll admit it. I'm attracted to her, but that's not the issue here. She knows something, something she won't or can't tell me. I don't understand which. But she's not normal, she doesn't live in the net, and she's not net-connected. I can't explain it, but she gives me hope that we can find our way out of this mess. Please, come with me, meet her, and judge for yourself. That's all I'm asking. It's just a short trip. Please.”

  “You know you're crazy, don't you? Maybe you want to spend some time in the mind-doc, but I don't.”

  “Allan, is there any sane person left in this world? The definition of insanity is a consensus of the majority. Based on that definition, neither of us is sane. The woman I want you to see, maybe – maybe she's the only sane one left. The rest of us are doctored and altered into a semblance of what it means to be normal. We live in a virtual world and can't or won't see the real one crashing down around us. Is that sanity? Is it?”

  He sighed. “Alright Jake, I'll go with you. But if you're fucking with me, we're quits and I'll turn you over to net security. You understand?”

  “Perfectly.”

  “Let's go.”

  They made their way back through the machines and into the room, where they removed the safety gear.

  Jake led Allan back to the tube station and they boarded the train. They took separate compartments and rode to the end of the line.

  They emerged out on the street, and Jake led the way to the city's edge. “It's a pretty long walk, and we haven't much time. We'll have to hurry.”

  “Looks worse than downtown, its falling apart.”

  “Yeah. Liv says the city's dying from the edges. There's no one here, just vacant buildings.”

  “It's depressing.”

  Jake smiled at him. “Not everything, wait until you see it.”

  He raised a skeptical brow. “See what?”

  “It's a surprise. You'll like it. I guarantee it.”

  Allan stopped talking and continued walking. Soon they arrived at the edge of the city. Jake halted and looked at the expression on Allan's face.

  “My God! That's fucking amazing!” He scanned the horizon, taking in the wide open expanse.

  “It's agricultural land. There are miles of plants out there. Machines tend the crops. But you haven't seen anything yet.”

  “There's more?”

  “Yes it's a little way out there, along the road. We need to walk. You won't be disappointed.”

  They walked along the road until they arrived at the plum-tree. Allan just stared at it.

  Jake left the road and searched the tree for some fruit. Someone had harvested the low hanging branches. “What do you think Allan?”

  “Is that what I think it is?”

  “If you think it's a plum-tree, then, yeah.” He climbed a branch and shook several of the ripe plums off the branch and down to Allan “Catch!”

  By the time he descended from the tree, Allan had a plum buried in his mouth. The look on his face reflected pure ecstasy. He finished the fruit down to the pit. He held another in his hand, staring at it. He looked up at Jake as tears filled his eyes. “This is what we've been missing, isn't it?”

  “Yes, Allan. This is reality.”

  They both sat beneath the shade of the tree, looking out at the fields, and waiting.

  Jake broke the silence. “Those crops out there. I'll bet they're genetically engineered to produce all of the nutrients we need to live. They're probably ground up and processed and become our food supply. It's an elegant solution to the food problem.” He turned to look at Allan. “We're fed like rabbits, pampered and caged, Allan. Out there – that’s rabbit pellets, and we're the rabbits.”

  “Pretty pessimistic Jake. Where's your woman friend?”

  “I don't know. She should have been here by now.”

  They had concentrated on the road. A voice came from the field. “Look behind you.” Liv stepped across the rows of crops. She headed in their direction.

  At the sight of her, Jake's heartbeat increased, he felt his body flush and a stirring began in his middle. “Hi Liv.”

  “I'm glad you came, Jake. Who's your friend?”

  “Friend? – Oh this is Allan he works with me. Allan, this is Liv, the woman I told you about.”

  “Glad to meet you Liv.”

  “I couldn't get my other friends to ride me on the tractor when they saw you, so I had to walk across the fields. That's why I'm late. If you don't mind Allan, I need to talk to Jake. – Alone.”

  “Sure. I'll wait by the tree.”

  They walked out to the road and Liv led him down it for a distance, out of Allan's hearing.

  She stopped and turned to look at him. “Why did you bring him here?”

  “I think he can be an ally. My AI is getting strange, I think it's suspicious. It's just a feeling, but Allan may be able to do something when I can't. I think you want something more from me, more than just friendship. Am I correct?”

  She didn't reply for a moment. She had a pained expression. “Jake in another world… yes, you're right. I do need you to do something for me. This is the first chance I've had. This is about more than me – or you.”

  “Of all the people in the cit
y, Allan's the only person I trust. Hell, he's the only person I know who dares to leave his cube. It's funny, there must be what? A million or more people there? You'd think that out of a million people, I might know more than one, but it's the sad truth. Anyway, we don't have a choice. We need him, and I need you to convince him to help us.”

  “OK, I'll talk to him,” she said. They walked back to the tree.

  Liv stopped, a comfortable distance from Allan. “Jake says I need to try to convince you to help us. Do I?”

  Allan looked around at the tree and the fields. He examined Liv and Jake. “An hour ago, you wouldn't have had a chance in hell. But seeing all this? Yes, I think I can be convinced. What do you have in mind?”

  “What I have in mind is difficult and dangerous. Can you handle that?”

  “Lady, both Jake and I walk around the city without wearing haz-suits. Maybe I have a death wish. But yeah, I can handle that. If it's important enough.”

  “Oh, this is important alright. More important than anything anyone has ever attempted before. More important than you, me or Jake.”

  “OK. So what is it?”

  Liv looked exasperated. “That's the hard part. I can't tell you. But I promise you, if we're successful, we could make that,” she pointed to the tree, “a reality for the whole world.”

  Allan sighed. “That's what I call convincing. Yeah, I'm in. I must be crazy, but I'll help you. What do you want?”

  “I want you and Jake to steal an AI and the programming interface, then bring it to me. I need a factory level or higher device. A cube AI might do, but a factory level is better.”

  We were both speechless. Finally Allan exploded. “Woman, are you nuts? You don't just walk into a store and say 'give me one of those', AIs are controlled! They've got the highest fucking security level on the planet. How are we going to steal an AI?”

  Jake thought for a moment. “There might be a way… ”

  Allen looked at him with an incredulous expression. “How? In the first place, they're locked in an explosion proof enclosure that only a net-security agent can open, second, the programming interface is controlled as closely as the AI, and third, the AI itself would have security all over our asses as soon as we tried to remove it. No, it's impossible.”