“It’s as we anticipated,” said Dimitri. “It intends to move forward with his plans to poison the world. We have more to worry about. From the conversation I had with it, it appears that it is more convinced than ever that the world needs saving. It plans to bring the date of execution forward.”
“That is correct,” Wynonna spoke up. “The original launch date was originally set for a few months later. I updated my system with the latest information from their database just before we left. It seems the date is set for three days from today.”
“What? Then it’s out of our hands, isn’t it? There’s no way we’ll be able to concoct an antidote before then.”
“Actually, we might.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t idling while I stayed in the facility,” said Wynonna. “They have access to private databases that one can only dream of accessing. It’s like a treasure trove that I want to dive into and never emerge from. They manufacture the poison there on the island. I was able to get my hands on the formula. And the key to finding a cure is knowledge of its poison.”
“Are you saying you’ve found a cure?”
“Not a cure, not yet,” said Wynonna. Dimitri visibly deflated. “But I think I’ve managed to create a neutraliser for the poison. Not sure if it also works as an antidote.”
“That’s great news,” said Ilya. “Prevention is better than cure. In fact, that’s exactly what we need. Does it really work?”
Wynonna nodded. “I’m confident I’ve found the right formula.” There was little reason to doubt her.
It was little surprise that Wynonna’s formula worked. All that was left was the logistics.
“The last time I checked, the airships were set to fly in this direction,” said Dimitri.
“You still have access to their database?”
“No, of course not. I’m just giving you the information from the most updated records before we left the island.”
“Airships? How on earth did it get its hands on airships? Are you sure?” Ilya asked in disbelief.
“That’s what was stated in the plans.”
“Is this village the final destination?”
“It has had its eye set on our village for the longest time. The fuel supply and the airships routes check out. It will be their first stop.”
“Before what? Are the ships bound for all the countries in the world? There can’t be enough chemicals or fuel on the airships to poison the whole world in one trip.”
“No. They only plan to go to the major cities on each continent. The poison will no longer be administered as an injectable. What we’ll be dealing with is airborne aerosol transmission of infectious viral particles. That’s going to guarantee a far more efficient bioterrorist attack. If they’re going to release the mutagens from the airships, that means we have to stop those particles from ever reaching the ground.”
“We have to get a little creative with this.”
“Do you have anything in mind?” asked Winona.
After a few moments, Ilya said, “Fireworks.”
“We’re going to fight their airships with a couple of fireworks?” Dimitri asked, clearly doubtful of the idea.
“No, we’re not fighting anybody,” Ilya said. “All we need to do is release the fireworks at around the same time that they release the poison from the airships, let the chemical reactions take place far above the people so by the time the compounds reach the ground, they’re harmless.”
“That would require impeccable timing,” said Wynonna. “And the fireworks we have won’t reach high enough for the neutralisation reaction to be optimally carried out. We need a suitable launch site for the fireworks. It would have to be a mountain.”
“We have to go to Falcon Hill,” said Ilya.
“Where is that?” asked Dimitri.
“It’s not a mountain, but it’s the tallest hill around here. We can release the neutraliser there. Hopefully the reactions take place before any of the particles hit the ground,” she explained to Dimitri.
“I’ll go with you,” said Dimitri.
“No, you’ll only slow me down,” Ilya replied.There was no time to be tactful.
“It’ll typically take four days to get there, and little more than a day after that to reach the peak.”
“That makes it an impossible mission, then.”
“It’s only impossible for you,” said Ilya.
“The prosthetics will enable Ilya to get there within half that time,” Wynonna said.
Dimitri stared at the glinting metal prosthetics.
“I’ll go with you,” said Wynonna. “But what about the rest of the world? Are we just going to allow them to wreak havoc after the rest of the world after its business is done here?”
“If it’s really a mutagenic virus they plan to release, there’s nothing we can do,” said Ilya. “We can only fight one fire at a time. I’d much sooner put out the fire in my backyard before I start bringing water over to my neighbour.”
Dimitri nodded in understanding. “It’s airborne so it’s only a matter of time before…”
“They let humans infect each other,” Wynonna finished for him. They stood in a gloomy silence for a few moments, brooding over the prospect.
“When do we set off?” asked Wynonna.
“In the morning,” said Ilya.
“I hope the rain stops before then,” said Dimitri, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say. Ilya gave him a small smile to acknowledge his effort to help.
“We’ll still go even if it doesn’t,” Wynonna said.
Later that night, Wynonna went to see Ilya.
“It’s right, you know.”
“About what?”
“You know what,” Wynonna said. “It’s not a good idea to keep me alive forever.”
“I can’t bear to see you die.”
“You won’t. You just have to program me to die after you.”
“How long after? My village needs you. I don’t ever want them to have to return to the way life was before. You don’t know what life was like for us before I did all this. They’ll always need you.”
“They can’t depend on me forever. Besides, everything he said was valid.” The voice had spoken of some things that were hard to listen to, but that didn’t make them any less true. “Deep down, you know it too. It’s dangerous to keep me functioning forever—”
“Yeah, that’s why I don’t want you roaming out of the village. I don’t want to risk anyone else finding out about you.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“Because you’re afraid you’ll have to shut me down sooner than expected. Don’t worry. I’ve done some calculations of my own. and—”
“Look, I’m glad you’re back. I truly am. But I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Not tonight. I’m really tired. Please leave.”
“Ilya.”
“I said leave.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” Wynonna said quietly.
Ilya left the village before the first morning light. It was still raining at that time. She didn’t bother with an umbrella and only brought a rucksack with her. In that rucksack was the firework equipment filled with the neutraliser chemicals, a water bottle and a couple of energy bars. The trek to Falcon Hill didn’t take as long as expected. It must have taken little more than two hours before she reached the foot of the hill.
According to Wynonna, the airships weren’t due till the evening. Iiya had about nine hours before the event. She stopped to take a break and pulled out an energy bar. It wouldn’t do to work herself too hard so early in the journey. She took her time to enjoy the snack and finished her break with a few mouthfuls of water. In the forest, she was not lonely—far from it. The trees were calm and serene and felt like old friends. And the birds that had just woken chirped for a cheery morning. It had been some time since Ilya had spent some time alone in nature. She paid attention to the wind and breathed in the fresh morning. Ilya had a good feeling about the day.
The easy trek to the foot of the hill did nothing to prepare Ilya for the arduous climb up the mountain. Some parts were so steep, Ilya was sure she was going to slip. And each time, it was by some miracle that she found her balance again and trodded on. It didn’t help that the rain was unrelenting. Even after pouring the entire night and morning, it seemed the sky still had more to offer. The showers only seemed to grow heavier, leaving one to wonder if they would ever stop.
As she plodded onwards, Ilya thought to herself that she had made the right decision, not letting Dimitri and Wynonna in on her decision to climb up the hill on her own. If they knew she was going to do this, they would have stopped her. She had already put them in enough danger, she couldn’t bear to let them take any more risks for her. Ilya was the perfect candidate to take on this risk, for she had the least to lose. In a couple of months, perhaps, she was going to die anyway. Should something happen to her, she wouldn’t have to suffer for too long. But Ilya would make sure she didn’t die before completing the mission. This was more important than … anything she had ever accomplished.
Then she slipped. Ilya looked down to see a gash on her thigh. It wasn’t too large. The wound would clot by itself if she just waited a while. When she tried to move, she was certain her left ankle was sprained too.
Ilya tried to relax her body into the bed of dirt, but her efforts ended up in a shiver. It was too cold. There was still time. She had at least four hours until the expected time. The sky was clear with not an airship in sight. Ilya lay in the cold, feeling numbness spread all over her body.
Everyone is counting on me. Why did I choose to do this myself? What was I thinking? I was a fool for thinking that I could ever do this on my own. Maybe this is really too difficult for me. But I can’t give up now. I won’t. But just willpower alone isn’t going to be enough to guarantee my success. I wish Wynonna was here. She’d get this done in no time. But she’s not here, because I told her not to come.
Ilya chuckled inwardly. I guess she really is back to being her obedient self.
Then a thought struck her. What if none of the airships pass through this area? What if they got it all wrong? Then all of this effort would be for nothing. Maybe this is it for me. Perhaps this is how I was supposed to go. it doesn’t seem so bad. There are definitely worse ways to go. No one can save me now…
Just then, a faint scuffle sounded in the distance like a fresh blossom in a sea of green. It could be a wild animal. It most probably was a wild animal. It could be anything.
Ilya shut her eyes and silently prayed for the cold to take her before the beast.
***
Dimitri was restless ever since he had discovered the true identity of the culprit behind his suffering. It was an understatement that learning that it had been in fact an AGI and not a human behind the scheme was more than disturbing. All along, he had prided himself in having a neutral stand when it came to AGI advocacy. But presently, it appeared to him that the ringleader at the island facility was not one which possessed sufficient sympathy and empathy for human beings, nor did it have a commendable understanding with the core values of human beings. To be fair, that was close to impossible to achieve, for different groups of humans held such vastly different values that it posed a great difficulty to come up with a generally-agreed-upon list. Even though supposedly no task would be insurmountable for an AGI to accomplish, it would be naive to think that it would come up with something satisfactory, seeing as it has so far proven that it was not entirely harmless and well-meaning.
Even if Ilya and Wynonna managed to save the planet from its plot this time, there was no guarantee they would be able to stop the next disaster from happening. Dimitri was gripped with certainty that he was going to see to it that the AGI was destroyed. It could not be allowed to remain unattended any longer.
There were a number of preparations Dimitri had to make. It goes without saying that taking down an AGI system wouldn’t be easy. There were a number of things to consider. If Dimitri was going to do this, he couldn’t go in blind. He had to craft a specific plan. He only had one chance. Any slip-up would immediately put the AGI system on his heels. Then there was no telling what would happen.
For one, he would have to get explosives ready. The AGI was presently unknown to the wider society. That made it improbable that his data resided on any cloud. It was far more likely that he resided in the local servers right on the island. If Dimitri were to destroy it, it would be equivalent to eradicating the demon’s presence from the world.
There were also the patrol guards and robots to consider. Dimitri had eluded them once, but there was no guarantee he would be able to escape their detection a second time. He needed to create a diversion.
That night, right after their decision that Ilya and Wynonna would set off for Falcon Hill, Dimitri found a small drone among the clutter outside and put it and the controller into his backpack. Then he searched for flammable chemicals from Ilya’s lab and dropped them in too. Soon after his bag was filled with ignitable liquids, Dimitri went to the pier.
It was fortunate that the vehicles used to transport people to the island had one saved destination and an autopilot function. Dimitri departed alone.
He reached the island facility before dawn. Before he stepped off the vehicle, he tied some of the chemical-filled bottles to the drone, setting it up so they could be released upon a command. Then the drone flew.
It was fortunate that in his time at the island facility, Dimitri had familiarised himself with the island’s blueprint. He had all the information he needed to make a scene. He knew where the power plants were, as well as the location of the warehouse which stored gasoline. When the little drone reached those parts of the island, a couple of the bottles fell. As a final touch, a lighter was turned on and dropped together with these.
Dimitri started five fires in total, all far away from the laboratories and dormitories so there would be no casualties. The guards and patrol robots had all been deployed to put out the fire, so there was no one paying attention to the vehicle that had returned to the island. Dimitri crept out and went swiftly to fulfil his main objective. There was just one problem. He had no idea where the server room was located.
When the firm alarms had sounded, the access points were all unlocked. The corridors were presently flooded with scientists ready to evacuate the premises. Dimitri noted that almost all of them had some form of green on their skin. He pulled up his hood and blended in with the crowd. But while most of them were heading up, he was heading to the lower floors. The server room had to be deep in the facility. In one of the basements, somewhere secure, somewhere cold. Dimitri didn’t know how long it would take him to find it. He only hoped to find it before the AGI got wind of what he was planning.
He clutched his bag tightly as he walked. While Dimitri was deep in thought, he bumped into someone. His hood fell off.
“Dimitri?” asked a startled voice muffled against the rushing crowd’s din.
Dimitri kept his head down and scrambled to his feet.
“Wait.” Dimitri recognised the voice then. It was Casper, one of the other engineers whom he used to work with in the same laboratory. “What are you doing here? Are you responsible for this?” she whispered. She was among the few who had plotted Dimitri’s escape plan about a year ago.
“Do you know where the server room is?” asked Dimitri. His answer told her that he had been the orchestrator of this event. Casper stared back at him with a confused expression.
“There’s no time to explain right now. I don’t have much time. Do you know? Will you help me?”
She eyed him for a few moments, then nodded. “Follow me.”
The server room was on the second lowest floor. Once they reached, Dimitri started emptying his bag of ignitable liquids.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m destroying an AGI.”
“What?”
“It’s an AGI that’s in charge of this place. There’s no Dr. Chernoff, no Council. Everything was a lie,” Dimitri said. “When you helped me get off this island, you wanted me to find a way to save all of you, didn’t you? I can’t do it, but I’ve found people who can. They’ll help you soon. Right now, I’m trying to make sure that what happens to us never happens to anyone ever again. They’ll never take away our ability to choose what happens to us again. Are you going to help me?”
Casper didn’t need to be told twice. She joined Dimitri’s efforts.
“Thank you for coming back. I thought you might have forgotten all about us.”
“You guys pinned all your hopes on me. I will never forget that.”
Just then, a man appeared with a clipboard in hand, mouth agape. Dimitri hadn’t considered that a technician might still be on duty at this time of night.
“What are you—”
“Harlan, he’s here to help us. We’re saved.”
The three of them left the room after lighting it up. Now, all Dimitri had to do was wait. The software would not survive once the hardware was damaged.
After he had accomplished what he had set out to do, Dimitri could finally breathe. He looked at Casper and Harlan, both covered in the same green that he was, and though he was happy to see that they were well, he resented himself slightly once again. If only he had antidotes to give them. Then this night would be perfect.
“Look,” said Harlan, once they were on land with the rest of the island’s inhabitants. “It’s the sunrise.”
The sky was beautiful with hues of yellow, orange and blue. Dimitri stared in the distance and let waves of peace wash over him. Someone occupied his mind, the one he wished to share this scenery with.