PATET HQ was a city unto its own. An ever-expanding field of server towers on the secure and fortified outskirts of Heliopolis, it featured tall cylindrical structures, completely encased in high-efficiency solar panels and photovoltaic glass. These towers, which gleamed under the fierce sunlight, each had four wind turbines atop them, which also gathered energy for the running of the servers within. Of course, the solar panels, wind turbines, and photovoltaic glass wasn’t enough to power all of the PATET machinery and equipment all on their own.

Below the expanse of land allocated to the PATET HQ, water rushed over several screw-like turbines, generating enough electricity to meet a whopping 95% of the headquarters's energy requirements. It has been noted somewhere that even one of those turbines would have been enough to power over two-hundred homes, or a handful of small apartment buildings.

And how many are there beneath us now? Laith wondered as he passed over the flat slates of rock that made up the path to the administrative tower. Fifteen? Twenty? He’d heard in some interview or documentary that PATET HQ was always growing because of the increasing population of Heliopolis, and as a result new servers were being added – and new towers – along with new turbines in its corresponding underground hydroelectrical plant in order to ensure that energy requirements were always comfortably met. Even now, as he walked, he could hear – almost feel – a faint humming vibration coming from below.

As he neared the entrance to the administrative building, the circular structure surrounded by palm trees that seemed to stretch towards the sun in competition with the surrounding towers, Laith spotted two people standing within, watching him. It was unsurprising. He had called ahead the day before, when he had realized that someone was actively manipulating PATET, and told them he’d be needing to talk to someone knowledgeable about the AI system. He didn’t tell them what it was about, however.

The doors opened as he approached, and he was met by an older man – in his fifties, if Laith had to guess – and a young woman who looked to be just out of university.

“Detective Alazraq?” the man asked, holding out his hand to shake. Laith shook the man’s hand with a nod. “My name is Grot Antrum. I’m a senior PATET Specialist here at the HQ. I’ll be answering any questions you might have about the system.” He took a step back, gesturing to the woman beside him. “This is Audra Haize, an assistant Specialist working on my team. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve brought her along. She is quite eager to learn more about the system herself.” He said this as though he wasn’t particularly happy about it.

Laith greeted Audra with a hand on his chest and a polite nod, and she gave him a friendly smile in return. He noticed two silver piercings on her lips, like tiny rings, glinting in the light.

“Please, Detective, come with us to the courtyard,” Grot Antrum said, leading the way. “It is generally empty at this time of morning, and quite lovely. You can conduct your interview there.”

Laith followed, through the curved halls of the building, the walls made of beautifully polished wood and accented by hanging plants. They made it to a small inner sanctum, which revealed that the building had a large, cylindrical space at its core, stretching all the way through the top. It was a place for employees of the PATET HQ to take breaks and breathe in some fresh air, Laith guessed, and it really was quite lovely, just as Antrum had said. Platforms stuck out almost randomly at all heights, complete with couches, chairs, and tables for employees to use. Each platform overlooked courtyard, which boasted a small garden with robust trees from which a pleasant scent was emitted. Below these trees were benches. It was here that Antrum gestured for Laith and Audra to take their seats.

“Tell me, Detective,” Grot Antrum said, sitting down with a silent oomph! As his stern gaze turned towards Laith, he could not help but feel the man did not want him here. Perhaps he had a lot of work that needed doing, and Laith was keeping him from it. Or maybe he was simply having a bad day. Whatever it was, Antrum had the look of one who was going to be rather impatient. “What is it you want to know about the PATET system?”

“As you know, I am part of the Homicide Division over at the Heliopolis PD, and we’re currently working on a particularly sensitive case,” Laith began.

“Ah – yes – the woman who was killed in her home, was it?” Antrum interjected. “I’ve heard of it. It’s become quite the topic of conversation.”

“Yes, that’s the one,” Laith said, slightly frustrated at the mention of the news. Once again, he had absolutely no idea how they could have gotten hold of the story. He certainly hadn’t been blabbing to anyone, and he couldn’t imagine Captain Fox ever talking to the media unless absolutely necessary. But really, it could have been anyone who had been even remotely connected to the case. The media weren’t about to list their sources for the whole world to see.

“The case encountered a few obstacles with PATET, and I was wondering if I could pick your brains about the system in order to get some possible explanations, if that’s alright with you,” Laith continued. “Unfortunately, I cannot give you the details of the issues or the case, so you’ll simply have to humor me and answer the questions to the best of your ability.” He pulled out his Slate. “I’ll have to record this, of course. It’s part of the investigation.”

Antrum stared at the Slate as though it was a dirt stain on the otherwise pristine bench surface, but otherwise did not comment. Haize stepped in instead with a chipper comment: “I’ve never helped a detective solve a crime! This is very interesting. Please, ask us anything you’d like to know more about. Mr. Antrum has been here for many years. He seems to know the system inside-out!”

“Thank you, that’s very kind,” Laith said, ignoring Antrum’s behaviour. “My first question has to do with glitches. Have you ever had to deal with glitches, bugs, or any other type of issue with PATET? Can they get in the way of the smooth running of certain operations and sub-systems?”

“Glitches, as you call them, are certainly within the realm of possibility,” Antrum replied, pushing his wiry glasses up his nose with a chubby finger. “They are by definition a failure in the system that keeps it from performing its intended function. They result from errors in the code, which can be common. With something as large and ever-expanding as PATET, you can imagine how challenging it can be to keep everything in order. If a glitch is to happen, it may take quite a while to locate the problematic error that is causing it and rectify it, depending on the location in the code and the effects of such an operation.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Laith was just about able to keep up with the man’s explanation. “I assume, if they’re as common as you make them sound, that you’ve had to deal with these before?”

“A few,” Antrum admitted hesitantly. “Nothing too major. We have an excellent team of Specialists here at the PATET HQ. Only the best of the best, as they say. All new code is run several times through before it is pushed into the PATET framework. It’s easier to ensure that there are no mistakes that way. But, every now and then, a little problem sneaks its way into the system. Like I said, however: nothing too major.”

“I see,” Laith said, leaning back against a tree trunk. He considered the man’s words for just a moment before asking his next question. “Are glitches always errors in the software itself?”

“Yes,” Grot Antrum replied. “Well, almost always. In some cases, a glitch occurs in response to user error. But, if you ask me, that is also an error on the side of the programmers. It is our job to make sure that our system is as user-accessible as possible. We work very hard to keep it that way. PATET is the most user-friendly urban control system on the planet. We did that.”

“And it shows,” Laith said, sensing a small twinge of indignation in the man. He didn’t want to come off as being accusatory in any way, but it seemed like Grot Antrum was a bit touchy. “Would you be able to identify a glitch as soon as it happens?”

“Absolutely,” Grot said confidently. “We have numerous processes in place to notify us of situations in which PATET fails to carry out its work.”

“So, the Specialists can alter and adjust the programs whenever needed?”

“Naturally,” Grot replied, though he seemed to bristle a bit at this question, crossing his arms and leaning ever so slightly away from Laith in the process. “Whenever a fix is required, Specialists must use their skills to ensure that PATET continues to work efficiently.”

“Tell me about the Specialists,” Laith said, changing directions slightly. “Do they all have clearance to work on PATET directly? I’d imagine the less experienced Specialists would need a great deal of training before they can take the reins on something as expansive and complex as PATET and its subsystems.”

“Indeed.” Grot pushed up his glasses again. “Ms. Haize here is a good example. She’s relatively new to the team – has been working here for about a year now. She was chosen from a pool of over one hundred applicants from around the world, many of whom were quite skilled and talented at what they do. But, you see, we have very rigid qualification requirements. Even then, Ms. Haize will not have clearance to work with PATET itself until her supervisor deems her ready. Most new recruits take a good year or two just to familiarize themselves with all of the processes that PATET supports and carries out, of which there are hundreds.”

“Sounds quite challenging,” Laith remarked, glancing over at Audra Haize.

“It is,” she replied, nodding. “There is certainly quite a lot to learn! But, I am determined. I spend as much time watching and learning from my team members as I do practicing in the PATET Simulator. I’ve been improving my skills every day.”

“With still a very long way to go,” Antrum added. “Do you have any other questions, Detective?”

“Yes, just a couple more, if that’s alright,” Laith said. “Can PATET be hacked externally?”

Antrum scoffed, shaking his head. “With the strongest firewalls and security measures, I’d like to see anyone try!” he said. “Do you have any serious questions?”

Laith ignored his last remark, pushing on with his line of thought. “What about an internal hacker? Someone who is able to use their access to PATET to hack into parts of it that should be locked to them?”

Grot Antrum just about rolled his eyes at the suggestion. “Anything is possible, I suppose, but PATET isn’t just a stationary system. Its artificial intelligence allows it to be dynamic, reactive. Anything of that sort would be immediately flagged. If PATET is unable to keep the hacker away, it will at the very least ensure that the Specialists are notified. In the worst case scenario – which we have never experienced, by the way – the decision might be made to completely lock down and shut down the system that has been penetrated, keeping the hacker from advancing any further.”

“And, if I may add, a hacker can’t hide their identity with PATET. No matter what they do, PATET would know who it was,” Haize said. “Whether it’s stealing money or trying to change records, their identity would be recorded. It can’t be hidden. At least, not if they’re an internal user with access to PATET.”

“Can someone hide from PATET?” Laith asked. “Is that even possible?”

Audra seemed to consider this for just a split second before responding. “I suppose, theoretically, they could – with the right access and knowledge of the system, they could keep themselves hidden from PATET’s detection. I suppose that’s why the public isn’t privy to the specifics of how PATET works, though. To keep people from potentially using that knowledge to exploit the system to their advantage.”

Antrum was already shaking his head. “Nobody can hide from PATET,” he grumbled, glaring at Audra as though she’d just offended him personally. “Ms. Haize is still rather inexperienced, and doesn’t know quite as much about PATET as she evidently thinks she does.” At this, Audra Haize’s face crumpled into confusion and hurt. “PATET is a very powerful system. It was made with all of these considerations in mind. Nobody can hide from PATET – that’s the whole point. You can’t escape detection. And, quite frankly, Detective, my team and I have a lot of work to complete by the end of the day, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to stop this interview here.”

Laith watched as the man stood, straitened his off-white shirt, and fixed his trainee with a hard stare. “Come along, Ms. Haize,” he said. “Lots to do.”

“I’d appreciate it if Ms. Haize would walk me out, Mr. Antrum,” Laith said quickly, giving him his most disarming smile. “You have been quite helpful, and I hope I can ask Ms. Haize a few more questions about how one becomes a Specialist, if you don’t mind. I have a niece who’d love the opportunity,” he added, and hoped that Antrum was buying it.

He grumbled something under his breath and pointed a finger at Audra. “Five minutes,” he said, and all but stomped off into the building.

As the two of them left the building and walked across the stone path, Laith decided to come clean. “I don’t really have a niece who’s interested in becoming a Specialist,” he told her. “But I had a bit of a feeling that your boss wouldn’t want you to keep talking to me. He seemed to take everything pretty personally. Do you really think someone could hide from PATET?”

Audra Haize’s face went from surprised to intently attentive. “Yes,” she said, tucking her black hair behind her ears. “Absolutely. I’ve been learning so much – I know that I’m no expert, like Mr. Antrum, but I’m no idiot, either. I’m sure there are ways for someone to hide from PATET if they know how to do it.” She paused for a moment. “Is your suspect hiding from PATET?”

“We don’t know yet,” Laith admitted. “I just want to check all possible explanations. You don’t have time right now, but do you think we can meet again this evening? I have a few more questions to discuss with you, if you’re up for it.”

“Sure,” Audra said brightly. “This is actually kind of cool! I’m like an expert consultant for a murder investigation right now, aren’t I?”

Laith gave her a tight smile. “Something like that,” he said. Only it wasn’t really all that cool, with a dead body and a missing person and the possibility of someone covering their tracks using holes in PATET’s system. But he didn’t want to burst her bubble. “I’ll send you an address. Meet me there tonight.”

“I’ll be there!” she replied, giving him a mock salute and jogging back into the building.

Laith walked back to his Camino Forest, shaking his head.