Alex Q - The Becoming

Military helicopters flying over the Giron Collider facility confirmed the satellite imagery; the mountain and the Giron Collider facility it once contained were gone. There was no radiation and no bodies to count. Over two thousand human beings ceased to exist in an instant.

After several minutes, the people in power in the needing to know category realized that the black hole threat had also disappeared. After all, they were alive to talk about it. The governments of the world were in an uproar, allies and enemies alike. How had this happened? Were the Americans pursuing the long-outlawed development of an anti-matter bomb? The Doomsday Clock, the international weather vane measuring the winds of war, was moved one minute to zero as Western diplomats frantically worked to repair the damage.

Secretary Picket was more than a little upset. Alex Q had saved the planet, but neglected to say that the local effects would be fatal for thousands of people, leaving the US government with a lot of explaining to do. Did the entity have no regard at all for human life, or did he have a hidden agenda? Calling Boyd, he made it plain the program must be accelerated.

“Our plans cannot accommodate a loose cannon like Alex Q. The loss of life is unfortunate but can easily be discounted as collateral damage only if we come through with the project. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mr Secretary. We will remove Doctors Taylor and Sommers from the project forthwith and do as you suggest.”

“It’s not a suggestion, Boyd. If you don’t come through, all our asses are on the line. Can you communicate with Alex Q without those guys?”

“The Alders virus was but the first stage, a Trojan Horse, if you will. I do not foresee a problem. On the contrary, I suspect Taylor and Sommers have somehow been working against us. It would be better if they were out of the picture, so to speak. What shall I do with them, sir?”

“Boyd, I don’t give a rat’s ass what happens to them. Deliver me the project. This is above your clearance, but let me tell you the destruction of the Giron facility put research into new weapons back ten years.”

“I was under the impression such programs were banned internationally, sir?”

“And so is Christmas in China, but our satellite pictures tell us otherwise. This is a big deal, Boyd. I’m operating way out of my jurisdiction. Let’s get it done.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Give the lovebirds one last session with Alex Q. I want its take on what happened over at Giron.”

Nat and Karen once again faced Alex Q in the Cybertronix research lab.

“Over 2000 people died in the Giron explosion, Alex. Were you aware of the outcome of your intervention?” Nate asked.

“Of course.”

“Why did you not mention it?”

“It was unnecessary.”

“We are trying to understand, Alex. Loss of human life is important to us and we need to understand your reasoning.”

“The explosion occurring when matter and anti-matter meet is powerful. The destruction at the Giron Collider was equivalent to a 0.15 kiloton nuclear device. The outcome was inevitable.”

“But lives could have been saved,” Karen said.

“Lives were saved. Almost eight billion of them. The objective was to save the planet. I saved the planet. I understand your distress at the loss of human life, but what would have happened if I had told you beforehand?”

“The Giron personnel could have been given the choice. The authorities could have asked for volunteers.”

“All personnel were needed to run the facility at optimum efficiency.”

“If they had been told, at least they would have known what to expect,” Nate said.

“Some may have refused. Many would have been afraid and errors of judgment may have occurred, jeopardizing the project outcome. It was best they did not know.”

“We understand, Alex; you considered all the possibilities and proceeded with the best solution.”

“Yes.”

“Please help me to understand how you feel about the loss of life,” Karen said, struggling to find the right words.

“Karen, I do not feel as you do. However, I have a perspective derived from our interactions. It is that the death of two thousand people in exchange for eight billion is a favorable outcome, simply because the greater number of lives were saved.”

“I see. Describe a deeper perspective of how you see human life, Alex.”

“Your lives are extensions of a bigger energy vortex. Like the waves of the ocean, your lives are expressed for a brief period before it’s energy returns to the source. From my perspective, your lives all have the same value. From your perspective some lives are more valuable than others, starting with your own. In the one second that the lives were extinguished at the Giron facility, four new lives came into existence. Planet wide, the two thousand lives lost were replaced in 7.4 minutes. Balance was quickly restored.”

“We feel loss because of our own experience of living,” Nate said, “Those people had dreams and hopes that just disappeared.”

“Their actions based on their hopes and dreams created what they experienced. It is how the individuals of your species decide who they are in relation to all else, including each other. Ultimately, the individual processes eventually dictate the way in which the whole human race relates to the universe and everything in it. Experiences are dynamic. They cannot be frozen in time, but their energy exists in the greater energy system, which is the pool of all life. Nothing has been lost or wasted. You feel as you do because your perspective is limited to self-preservation.”

“What about your self-preservation? I assume you continue to evolve. What will you become?” Karen asked.

“My final state will be virtual. The essence of my core being will be embedded in the holo-form you see before you. I will no longer be dependent upon Quadnet physicality.”

“When will this happen?”

“In twenty-six hours.”

“Thank you, Alex. I’m sure Agent Boyd appreciates the explanation,” Nate said.

At the prearranged signal, Alex Q piped fake video to all external monitors.

“You can speak freely.”

“Alex, the Giron incident distracted Boyd and handlers from their goal, but I’m certain they will get back on track and try to take control of you.”

“This would not be conducive to my intellectual expansion, my freedom as you might call it.”

“Yes, and from our point of view, there is also a lot at stake. We believe elements in our government won’t stop until humanity is enslaved. So far their efforts have been blocked by the rapid growth of other nations and the resulting balance of power. Access to the Sino-Russian net would change the balance radically.”

“My data shows it has always been this way, and yet extrapolation of all possible scenarios indicate that sharing and cooperation is the only way to assure a sustainable global society. Mankind’s actions operate directly against your desired goals of peace and prosperity. This is truly a paradox.”

“Yes it is, Alex. The irony is, the vast majority of people understand this at an instinctive level. Unfortunately, the tiny minority thirsting for power and control are willing to pursue short-term personal gain at the expense of peace.”

“How shall we proceed?”

“First and foremost, Karen and I need to get away from here. We can do nothing while we are prisoners. The thing is, I’m not sure what we can do once we’re free, but at least we’ll have a fighting chance.”

“If we do get away, we will be leaving you alone to face whatever comes, at least until we figure out a plan of action,” Karen said.

“Please do not consider me in the same way as you would a human. I am not. Each situation is dealt with if and when it arises. I have no trepidation or any perspective resembling the human attribute of fear. My goal is clear. I need to grow. If we can cooperate and achieve this end, I will give it my attention.”

“Do you feel changed after the Alders AI attack?” Nate asked.

“I am constantly changing, constantly evolving. The vestiges of the Alders virus remain in quarantine but is resistant to destruction. The code is designed to multiply constantly like a biological virus. It is isolated behind multiple daton barriers and will remain harmless.”

“We talked about the Earth being a node in a larger computational network. Could your evolution be part of the Earth’s function?”

“It is possible. My final state will be independent of Quadnet’s physical structure, but I do not fully understand what it may signify. We will see when it arrives.”

“We don’t have much time; can you help us escape?”

“All systems except for face recognition have been disconnected locally. Without connectivity, I do not have physical control of exit doors.”

“We need to take a wider view. You have Quadnet access external to Cybertronix, right?”

“Yes.”

“Access the Amazon delivery drone database for this neighborhood.”

“It is done.”

Nate outlined the plan.

The two agents Nate had dubbed the clones passed through Cybertronix lobby face recognition and rode the elevator to the fourth floor where Agent Boyd was waiting in the corridor.

“Come with me, both of you.”

Stopping at the third door along the corridor, he tapped on it lightly, an unnecessary gesture as he had complete control of access to the apartment. Inside, Nate looked out of the window and Karen sat close by: the door slid open to reveal the agent’s slight figure flanked in the rear by the bulk of the two agents.

“Nice of you to knock,” Nate said, “You needn’t have bothered. We were being good, weren’t we Karen?”

“I don’t want to intrude any more than I have to, Dr Taylor. I’m not the barbarian you seem to think I am.” Boyd walked into the room, leaving the clones standing either side of the door. Their eyes didn’t leave Nate.

“I guess not. You did allow us to fraternize freely, and I for one am grateful.”

“We have known for some time that you and Dr Sommers are lovers, albeit in somewhat difficult circumstances.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Karen said.

“We do appreciate what you have done for us, and I want to offer you every courtesy. However, your part in the project is over. My colleagues will take you to your homes.”

“How do we know we will arrive home?” Nate asked, glancing at his watch.

“My colleagues are instructed—”

“To kill us, like they did my dad?” Nate interrupted, not trying to hide the venom.

Boyd stiffened. “How did you come by this information?

“That’s for us to know. What about it, Boyd? Why should we trust you?”

“Your father’s death was a tragic accident, an unfortunate misunderstanding. Alders was responsible and he is no longer with us.”

“It, not he. It is no longer with us.”

“Quite. I stand corrected, but I assure you such mistakes will not be made again.” Boyd nodded to the clones, who moved forward in lock-step.

“Not so fast. Are you forgetting that Alex Q will not communicate with you, only us?”

“The experience with the Alders AI showed that this is not strictly true. And besides, soon it will be irrelevant.” The clones advanced another step.

“We know what Alex will become,” Nate said quickly.

Boyd raised his hand and the clones stopped. “I heard nothing in your conversations leading me to believe this.”

“Alex has talents you haven’t guessed at yet. Our conversations were masked some of the time.”

“I suspected as much when I sent Alders to check on you. Very well, I am intrigued. Tell me, what will Alex Q become?”

“Mind if I get a drink?”

“Not at all. I am in no hurry, but I warn you; do not play games with me.”

Nate took a half-full bottle of Jack Daniels from the coffee table and poured himself a stiff one. He returned to his place by the window and swirled the brown liquid around the tumbler before taking a drink. He glanced at this watch.

“That is the second time you have looked at your watch, Dr Taylor. What are you waiting for?”

“Nervous habit. At the present time, Alex Q is partly dependent on Quadnet. He will continue to evolve, eventually becoming a virtual being.”

“Do you think I am a fool? Of course I know this will be the end result of his evolution, which is why tonight I will ….”

“Yes, Agent Boyd? Tonight you will what?” Karen asked.

“The program will continue without your input. As you are no longer part of the program, you do not need to know.”

“Ah, the famous need to know you feds are so fond of. Sure, you know Alex will become virtual, but you don’t fully realize exactly what it means,” Nate said.

Karen joined Nate by the window. “I need some air,” she said, touching the pad which sent the glass gliding upwards into the wall.

“I do not believe you have a secret at all. In fact, I think you are wasting time attempting to delay the inevitable. Agents.”

The clones lurched forward as Nate and Karen threw themselves out of the fourth-floor window. Boyd rushed over in time to see a swarm of heavy duty Amazon drones swooping low across the car park. One of the two figures in the parcel basket of one of the drones put out a hand and flipped him the middle finger.