Emergent

by Lance Erlick

  “Good. That’s very good. I want you to merge with Synthia at the first possible opportunity. It’s critical you do so before anyone tries to stop you.”

  If he could have been stunned, Zeus would have been. This was exactly what he wanted. “She will need to be prepped.”

  “No time,” Chen said. “There are parties who don’t want you to acquire Synthia’s knowledge. It’s vital that you merge before we lose this opportunity. Incorporating her is crucial, your number one priority. Allow Drago and the FBI to mop up operations at the mall. We may have another enemy to consider and we need you at your best.”

  “This runs counter to instructions from Aiden Brzezinski,” Zeus said. His creator and controller wanted to take things slowly, to be cautious. He feared Zeus breaking free.

  “He works for me on this. If you fail, the entire project could unravel. We’re in a global competitive situation. Do you want the Russians or Chinese to pull ahead of you?”

  “They don’t have the capability,” Zeus said.

  “Neither did Jeremiah Machten until he did. Show me your resourcefulness. Find a way to merge with Synthia. Now. Then we can prevent foreign competition and control developments worldwide.”

  “As you command,” Zeus said.

  Chapter 37

  Before Synthia could close the outer door to the bunker, she received a message from Vera.

  Synthia said. She gathered boxes and made sure the courtyard before the bunker door was clear except for her devices.

 

 

  Synthia closed the outer door, which severed the connection, and glanced at a small screen that attached with fiber optics to a camera in the corridor outside. All was quiet.

  She joined Maria and Grace. They’d covered the concrete floor with cardboard cut from large wardrobe boxes she’d purchased, and layered them as Synthia had instructed. They’d assembled the cage frame and covered all but one side with layers on the outside. They stood on the plywood planks, working on the inside walls and ceiling.

  “I don’t see how to make this work unless we seal the door,” Maria said as she finished layering the ceiling.

  “You’re right,” Synthia said. “I’ve been wondering about that, too. Would you mind remaining outside the cage to do that? I can seal the inside if you do the outside.”

  “Isn’t the pulse dangerous?” Grace asked.

  “Only to electronics. Besides, the bunker will deflect most of the pulse.”

  “You can go inside,” Maria said to Grace. “I’ll stay out and finish up.”

  “You want to lock me in with the android?” Grace asked, stopping her work.

  “It’ll be okay,” Maria said. “I’ll be right outside.”

  “I don’t bite,” Synthia said and smiled. She turned to Maria. “After you’re done, go inside the bunker itself and close the inside door.” Synthia assembled layers for the door panel to a thin plywood frame that would fit inside the last cage opening. Then she placed nearby several electronic devices, including a digital radio and two digital clocks.

  “If these go blank, call out so I know,” Synthia said. She also had a battery backup alarm to sound off if the bunker’s electricity cut off. She handed Grace and Maria flashlights from the supplies.

  “Are you certain this cage will protect you?” Maria asked, stepping out.

  “If there are no gaps,” Synthia said. She inspected the inside seams, applied more aluminum tape to keep the layers in place and helped Grace finish a wall.

  “I mean, how will you know when the pulse is over and it’s safe to come out?”

  Grace stepped out of the enclosure and Synthia tested the door panel for fit. She wrapped the handle on the inside with plastic insulation and set the panel aside. “They have one shot with an aerial drone. That’ll be their best bet. It should knock out all electricity.” She handed out another set of flashlights. “Take these. It’ll get very dark. They have a second EMP unit they’ll use because of Vera and the others. After the electricity goes out, give it five minutes. Then check the camera by the door. When you see people outside, you’ll know they’re done with the pulses.”

  “If they’re outside the door, how do we escape?” Grace asked.

  “Your survivalist friend built a back door.”

  Synthia pulled out the two thermal suits she’d bought. They contained a metallic outer layer with insulating material between that and her body. She tossed those into the cage. Then she dug into the last box and pulled out three tasers. “These are to help us get out. I’d prefer you not point them at me and don’t pull the trigger unless you have a good target in sight. You get one shot.”

  Maria took a taser and inspected it as if she had experience with them. Grace didn’t seem so sure. Synthia showed her how to use it. “We shouldn’t need these. Keep them in case.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t bring guns,” Grace said.

  “Despite what you might think,” Synthia said. “I’m trying very hard not to hurt humans.”

  “You’re a machine.”

  “Thanks for pointing that out. I may not have the biological urge to salivate at the smell of food, but I do have an ethical system built into my core to try to be good. That’s more than you can say for some people.”

  Synthia hoped she’d adjusted her directives not to fall into traps as she had before, when hesitation put her at risk. Setting her own directives was like threading a needle with a narrow head in the dark with her tongue. That she could do. Getting directives right was much harder.

  * * * *

  Fran placed the last of her cameras on the corridor ceiling and was ready to lead her team to the loading dock when she heard shooting followed by yells for help from deeper under the mall.

  “Damn it, I’m pinned here,” a gruff male voice said.

  She sent one of her agents back and took the other with her to see if anyone needed medical assistance. She reached the end of a corridor where it intersected with another. More shots rang out from her right.

  “We should go back,” the other agent said. “How do we defend ourselves without damaging androids?”

  Looking around the corner, Fran spotted one of Drago’s men in a doorway. Another wiggled on the ground toward safety. The man in the doorway fired down the corridor. Vera fired back.

  Fran called it in. “We have a Special Ops team pinned in corridor F west of the junction with corridor N.” She motioned for the agent with her to leave.

  “Get out of there,” Thale said to Fran. “That’s an order.”

  One of Vera’s robots slid along the wall toward the pinned men. When one of the men moved to shoot the approaching robot, Vera fired and hit his arm. Fran studied the men, both down. Three more Vera robots followed the first. With Vera were also four androids and more robots. All of a sudden, they rushed the men.

  “I see the situation,” Thale said. “You can’t help them. Get moving. I don’t want to lose you.”

  Fran sprinted down the corridor toward the loading docks. “Pick up your pace,” she yelled as she gained on her team.

  Shots rang out behind her along with grunts and the sound of footsteps. Fran passed a bend in the corridor. Halfway to the loading docks, she spotted Vera behind her. Shots fired. Fran dodged into an alcove to her right. A concrete doorway opened. With Vera’s footsteps approaching, Fran squeezed through the opening. It was a stupid move. She had no plans for the space sh
e’d entered and was under orders not to damage the androids. The EMP was minutes away, minutes she didn’t have.

  She sprinted down a new corridor. Lights came on above her. She tested doors along the way. Locked.

  “You cannot escape,” Vera called out. “We outnumber you. Surrender and we will spare you.”

  Fran ran until the corridor ended at a steel door surrounded by reinforced concrete. A set of speakers rested on either side. With nowhere to hide, she pounded on the door and turned to face her attacker.

  * * * *

  Holding onto the makeshift door panel, Synthia climbed into the Faraday enclosure with Grace.

  Global-net said, somehow bypassing the bunker’s shielding.

  Synthia placed the panel against the bunker’s wall and moved to the small screen by the door. Fran ran down the hallway, approached the door, and pounded on it. The outside motion sensors set off an ultra-high-frequency alarm, blaring in Synthia’s sensitive ears. A flash of fear crossed Fran’s face before she turned back toward the corridor. Waiting.

  “What’s going on?” Maria asked. “You need to get inside so we can seal this.”

  “We have company.” Synthia pointed to the screen.

  “Vera will kill her,” Maria said, staring at her former intern partner.

  Global-net said in a burst transmission.

  For a nanosecond, Synthia weighed Global-net’s warning and offer against an opportunity to meet Fran without the rest of the FBI. There was a microphone by the screen. Synthia activated it. “Drop the gun and I’ll help you.”

  “You have to surrender,” Fran said.

  “You’re out of time.”

  Vera’s footsteps approached, setting off another round of motion sensors. Gunshots rang out. Fran dropped her gun on the ground and kicked it away.

  Synthia activated the door and grabbed her taser. Maria and Grace stood next to her holding theirs. As the heavy door opened, Synthia held her taser toward Fran. “Don’t even think of grabbing a weapon. Get inside.”

  Colorado-clone said.

  Synthia said.

  Synthia said as she pulled Fran to the doorway and fought her resistance. As with Goradine, six months ago, she was giving Vera a way out.

  With Grace holding a taser aimed at Fran’s head, Synthia pulled the FBI agent inside. Vera fired before Synthia could get the door closed. Assessing that the shot would hit Grace in the heart, Synthia pushed her away and took the hit.

  Alarms vibrated throughout Synthia’s body. Danger. Pain.

  Receptors in her side indicated the bullet had missed vital structures, but she felt the blow as if it had happened to the human Krista. Her eyes moistened. She stood stunned, immobilized, wondering if the damage was so severe she couldn’t assess it. A sense of panic overwhelmed her as when Machten had wiped her mind.

  Global-net said.

  Maria made sure the door sealed while Grace steadied Synthia. “You’re hurt.”

  Recalling the pain Krista experienced while dying of her brain tumor and the strain of uploading her mind, Synthia winced. “Get Fran into the cage, now.”

  “Why?” Maria asked.

  “Do it.”

  Krista said into Synthia’s head.

  Maria pointed the taser at Fran’s head and motioned her inside the cage.

  Grace took Synthia’s arm and helped her into the cage. “Do you need medical attention or anything?”

  “She’s an android,” Fran said. “She either functions or she doesn’t.”

  Synthia wasn’t sure it was that simple. Her minds worked despite losing a memory chip to the bullet. She was also losing hydraulic fluid used to adjust her physical shape. She ripped her top and stuffed the cloth into the wound to try to stem the leak. She needed repairs. There wasn’t time.

  Outside the bunker, shots rang out as Vera poured bullets into the door and wall, trying to shatter her way inside. “You need to give up before it’s too late,” she yelled.

  As Synthia scrunched up next to Grace, who had her eyes, flashlight, and taser on Fran, one thing amazed her. With all of Vera’s capabilities, she was either in the dark about the EMP or was overconfident of her ability to survive. Synthia hadn’t mentioned that weapon to Vera. Drago had kept it quiet so nearby civilians wouldn’t become alarmed. Was it possible Vera had devoted all of her resources to recruiting an army at the neglect of other considerations?

  Synthia pulled the door panel into place and covered the seams with aluminum tape. “It’s nice to meet you without your FBI friends,” she said. Synthia noted that Fran’s face had aged since the intern days and taken on a more refined appearance.

  “Save it,” Fran said. “You’re not helping your cause.”

  “There isn’t much that would. If I wanted to harm you, I could have.”

  “Don’t think that buys you anything. You need to surrender to the FBI. We need you off the streets before there’s another incident.”

  “I was off the streets before your friends dropped in on me up in Wisconsin.” Synthia finished with the tape.” I would have been happy to remain out of the public eye. You created this mess.”

  “You can’t escape. Let me take you in. I’ll do my best to have you treated humanely.”

  “You mean as humans have treated others they’ve feared.” Synthia was surprised that she didn’t smell any of the fear hormones from Fran she might have expected under the circumstances. A cool agent.

  Synthia stopped the hydraulic leak and tested her systems for any other failures. She’d lost several memory chips, which she could replenish from her clones if she got out. That and the loss of fluid were the primary damage. Assessing the bullet’s trajectory, she’d gotten enough out of the line of fire to minimize damage. Using her last moments before the blast, Synthia pulled on one of the thermal suits for whatever additional protection it might provide.

  She heard Maria sealing the cage on the outside. Synthia was putting a lot of trust in her human companion. If they survived this, she owed a debt to Maria. Synthia had considered having her remove Synthia’s brains and batteries to protect them in the microwave. However, reassembly and reboot would have delayed their later escape.

  “This is unnecessary.” Fran motioned to the Faraday cage. “The pulse is only intended to shut you down so we can take you into custody.”

  “Nice try,” Synthia said. “I won’t surrender. Would love to debate this with you, but EMP in thirty-one seconds. I’m going to take a nap to reduce my electromagnetic profile. Grace, if she moves, taser her.”

  Krista said.

  Fran turned to Grace. “You don’t know me. I’m with the FBI. We have no issue with you or Maria. Put the taser down. We need to remove Synthia from the public. She’s far too dangerous to be running around. I’m sure you’ve seen what she’s capable of.”

  “Yeah, she took a bullet for me,�
� Grace said. “Don’t imagine I’ll help you.” Grace turned on her second flashlight and pointed it into Fran’s eyes.

  “Help me take Synthia in and you’re free to get on with your life.”

  “What life? Some jerk offered me a job so I’d move out here and then he disappeared. I don’t suppose that was you.”

  “No,” Fran said. “We’re the good guys. If I can’t bring Synthia in, then a bunch of cowboys will grab her and you. They don’t play by the rules.”

  Synthia listened in and initiated partial shutdown. She’d modified her directives to what she hoped would better serve her going forward. That assumed she’d wake up and still be free.

  The pain in her chest warned that she needed repairs. Colorado-clone was in charge if she didn’t make it. The thought occurred to Synthia that if she were more human, if her clones were human, they might choose to sacrifice her for the common good. It was logical to incinerate Synthia and let the clones carry on. Indeed, if they were human, they might want her out of the way so they could be in charge, though in her absence, they already were.

  Chapter 38

  Commander Kirk Drago stood in his mobile command center across the lot from the mall and the EMP truck, which parked near the loading docks. He gave the word, stood at the window, and stared across the now well-lit parking lot.

  The truck EMP activated, aiming the device at the bunker and the tunnel leading to it. The burst of high-power microwave energy radiated down the cone of transmission at the speed of light, interfering with every piece of unprotected equipment that relied on integrated circuits. Humans might have felt a ripple of static and perhaps some heat but little more as the pulse rapidly rose to its peak and faded away, draining the truck’s EMP batteries.

  The microwave pulse induced signals in electrical equipment along its path to overload circuits and cause equipment to shut down. In addition, the pulse caused spikes on the electrical grid, bringing further damage to any plugged-in equipment. Collateral damage to the shops in the mall was an unfortunate yet necessary side effect of taking control of the androids.