Where am I? What's going on?
Men in white surrounded me as one of them began to speak.
"Can you see us?"
I nodded. To my surprise, these people began cheering, some even tearing, I did not understand why but I could sense their joy, an emotion brought upon by raised adrenaline in their body, the way their eyes twitched, the elevated pitch in their voice. Why they felt happy? I do not know.
"Great! Can you tell us what your name is?"
Name?
"Alice, is that my name?"
"Yes, it is Alice. Now that you are awake, let us run you through a crash course of what you are. You probably don't realize this yet, but I believe you are the missing piece, to bridge humanity and AI together to a brighter future."
As the man walked out of the room, the chair I was resting on began to float and followed suit, bringing us along a corridor. I could see multiple people in white coats working on experiments and with one quick scan, multiple files appeared in my mind.
Functional Limb Replacement V 23.2. AI interface development V 53.1.
"Ah, your retinal scanning abilities seem to work fine. This building we are in is run by Sakura Tech with one single mission, the evolution of mankind. Working day and night on projects that improve the quality of life for all humans, is what we do. However, you are a top-secret project of ours, the first of its kind, follow me."
Scanning his iris against a security panel, the door in front of the man opened up as he brought me inside with him.
"This is where you were created."
Looking along the walls, there were descriptions of the ALICE project, together with the mission of the project and each step these men took to create me. Before long, we entered an all-white room that had a giant cube stationed in the center of it.
"This is where you will be living from now on as we monitor your progress, please make yourself comfortable."
Reaching his hand out towards me, I could not comprehend what it was for.
"In this situation, you are supposed to hold onto my hand and come off the chair, Alice."
"Illogical, I do not need help getting off a chair. Offering help makes no sense."
Ignoring him, I got off the chair and walked across the room, examining this place where I will live in.
"Well, that indeed makes sense. I'll be back again in ten minutes. Oh right, let me introduce myself properly. I am doctor Han..."
"Shinzo Han, age 43, winner of the top researcher AI award for three years in a row. Head of Project ALICE, I know who you are."
Taken aback by my statement, the doctor smiled before leaving the room.
From that day on, I would have hour-long sessions with the doctor, to work on communicating then I would be brought to special facilities to test my physical capabilities, there was also the occasional maintenance checkups they would run on me. That was how I spent the next six months of my "life".
----------------------------------------
"And that is why I prefer coffee to tea."
"Well tea does contain caffeine so your stand is still illogical from my point of view, besides tea tastes better, coffee is so bitter."
"You do realize the tea you are having has increased sugar content and isn't what's known as traditional tea."
"Bla bla bla, tea rules."
The doctor burst into fits of laughter, lying back on his chair, tears started forming in his eyes as they rolled down his cheeks.
"Doctor? I know it's a natural response to tear a bit when laughing but, I sense that you are actually crying?"
"Crying? Yeah Alice, I guess I am. You know... You really have come so far, remember the first conversation we had? You would cut me off immediately, uninterested in whatever we conversed about. But now? You not only try to continue the conversation, but you come up with new topics, questions to start a new conversation. No AI has ever had the ability to do that, heck, I might even mistake you for a human if I met you on the streets."
"Come to think of it, yeah. But I suppose it's the program inside me, that allows to me evolve my speech patterns? What kind of a lame joke is that though? Human? Why would I ever want to be human?"
Standing up straight, the doctor suddenly bowed at me.
"Thank you Alice, for realizing my dreams. To create the first humanoid AI, you have no idea what this means. Starting from tomorrow onwards, you will be relocated to a new place, and integrated into society, I cannot wait to witness the progress you will make!"
"New place? What's wrong with the current one I'm in? I have the cube that would create anything for me, I'm happy here... happy."
Lowering my volume, I realized at that moment, what truly is the definition of being happy? The joy on those researchers' faces when I was born, do I feel the same joy staying in this room? Is this being happy?"
"Alice? What did you say you are?"
"Nothing doctor, I'll look forward to tomorrow then! Maybe we could watch a movie together, like the one you always tell me about, I'll be back. That terminator guy!"
Pausing in silence, the doctor seemed to be lost for words before looking at me once again.
"Well, I won't be going to that new place with you. You will be taken care of by Sakura's top AI specialist, though, I will try to stop by now and then, perhaps we could watch one or two movies together."
"Oh, I see. Well, too bad for you then."
Laughing at the doctor, I felt a sharp pain in my chest, there was nothing wrong with my body after running diagnostic scans on myself. I still couldn't understand why, for that one split second, when the doctor said he wouldn't be joining me. Why I felt that pain in my chest...
----------------------------------------
So, another five months and three weeks have passed since I was relocated to this new place. The walls are actually decorated like space, with stars and planets all over, truly a sight to behold. I had a giant comfortable bed, this room called a bathroom, where I could shower though I could never comprehend why I needed to shower, the humidity and warmth of baths were sort of soothing I suppose. Oh, I got to keep the cube and used it to create all sorts of clothing for myself, even this stupid red dress I made in hopes of wearing it for our movie. But, the doctor never came, and before long, I stopped looking forward to seeing him.
"Miss Alice, I am B017, a specialized caretaker AI that has been programmed to serve you from today onwards."
"What's going on Kimberly?"
Ah, Kimberly, I haven't introduced her yet. So upon arriving at this new location, my new caretaker was a beautiful woman named Kimberly, I'm going to let you in on a big secret okay? Kimberly is actually 32! Never dated! Unbelievable right? Not trying to brag but I was created to be attractive as well, but Kimberly, she's leagues above me, but she's a really busy woman so unless she gets fired or something, she's probably going to stay single forever... What a shame right?
"This is B017, so we concluded that your interaction with humans is already superior to caretaker AIs, but you never really communicated with other AI. So from now on, B017 will be your butler, he can drive you anywhere, cook you anything, so on so forth."
"Drive? Wait, I can go out?"
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Rubbing my head with a laugh, Kimberly nodded her head but raised her finger.
"However, the first few times you leave, I will have to accompany you at all times, until I am one hundred percent at ease with you being around strangers, I won't ever let you go alone, deal?"
"Deal! Mom!"
There it is again, the sudden abrupt pause, the expression on her face was one of confusion, shock, and perhaps even fear.
"Kim?"
"Oh, it's nothing Alice, well see you tomorrow, we will be heading to the nearby Sakura park two blocks from here."
"Tomorrow! Yes! Have a good night Kim, see ya!"
As Kim turned and left, I could see her feeling uneasy, her left hand was gripped tightly onto her skirt. Something was off.
----------------------------------------
"Good morning Miss Alice, I have prepared your favorite Egg benedict for breakfast. Please enjoy."
"Why thank you B017, let me get changed first, I'll join you for breakfast shortly."
After taking a quick shower, I put on my best attire before heading to the dining room.
"Where's your breakfast B017?"
"I am an AI. I do not need food Miss Alice."
What? I mean, but food tastes so good?
"Well I get what you mean, but this tastes so good, how could you not want to eat?"
"Sorry Miss Alice, AI's like me do not have the capability to taste food. Miss Alice, you are the first and only humanoid AI, hence having the ability to..."
"Got it B017, sorry for asking."
Only I can taste food? I never knew other androids didn't have this ability... What a shame, eating alone, it's not fun at all.
----------------------------------------
"Heard you are going out today Alice?"
"Yup Zara! I'm so excited! You have no idea!"
Zara is in charge of my maintenance, helping me run full-body checks every morning, making sure nothing is amiss.
"All good today Alice, remember to stay safe ok? Don't end up injuring yourself or it's more time with me at maintenance."
"Oh come on Zara, you make it sound like a bad thing spending more time with you."
Running off, I waved goodbye to Zara as I made my way down to the lobby for the first time in my life.
"Which floor would you like to go to Miss Alice?"
"The lobby please!"
The woman stopped for a moment, ringing up Kimberly as I scanned where her call routed to.
"Ah sorry, I was not informed you were heading out today, the lobby it is."
As the door opened, Kimberly stood there dressed up in sports attire with her hair tied up.
"Excuse me Alice, but why are you wearing a skin-tight, revealing dress to a freaking park? Aren't you supposed to be really intelligent? Or do I need to send you back to Zara?"
"But, it's pretty right? Fine... I'll go change..."
----------------------------------------
"Woah! So this is how it feels like riding in a car! Can I open the windows?"
"No Alice, stay still seriously, are you a child?"
"Hey, technically I've only been alive for less than a year, so would it be wrong to say I'm a baby? Your baby Miss Kim..."
Looking away from me, Kimberly remained silent, unamused by my joke.
"Sorry."
"Mhmmm, it's nothing. I'm just not feeling too well today."
"Madame, would you like me to drive to the hospital first?"
"No, it's alright B017, we should be reaching the park soon anyways."
Trying to break the awkwardness, I decided to ask Kimberly.
"Hey Kim, why doesn't B017 or other androids have tasting functions?"
"Tasting? Why would they need it? B017 functions as a servant, why would he need to taste food? Perhaps chef models may need it, that's a good idea, Alice."
----------------------------------------
Arriving at the park, B017 opened the door for us, escorting us to a spot in the park reserved for the two of us.
Placing her belongings down, Kimberly removed her sunglasses as she began to stretch her muscles.
"Ready for a quick jog Alice?"
"Sure, hope you can keep up with my speed Kim."
I could feel all eyes on us though security AI has closed off the area of the park where we were going to jog in, onlookers had their eyes glued to me and some even took out their phones to take pictures, only to have their phones confiscated or destroyed by security.
"Ignore them Alice."
"But, isn't the point of coming out to interact with the public?"
"Not yet, we have to officially announce you to the world. Let's run and talk about it at the same time, hurry."
Pacing myself to suit Kimberly, we started talking about Project ALICE.
"You see Alice, after your successful creation in the lab. We have actually set a specific date right at the one-year mark of your creation, to ensure your program is running smoothly and no complications will occur. This one-year mark is for the company's big reveal of you, Alice, to the world. The first humanoid AI, you know how groundbreaking this is?"
"I see."
"Alice, to be frank, even now as we are running and conversing, I really don't feel like I'm running with, say a fitness AI, but rather, I'm running with a friend, a human friend. The advancement of AI is truly remarkable, yet scary don't you think? Ethical issues that come with your creation, like will society deem you capable of having human rights? Just how human are you? Are you to be viewed as a human or a simple AI?"
"Well, sometimes I wonder that too, the way I act, I speak, I look. It's that of a human, but remove this synthetic skin, I'm a metallic AI, remove my personality program, I'm no more than a fitness AI right? That scares me sometimes... But, I feel human Kim. What do you feel about me honestly?"
Slowing down her pace, Kimberly eventually came to a stop at a bench and asked for me to sit down with her.
"Alice, before I took you on as your new caretaker. I expected just another simple AI with some advanced conversing capabilities, but no. What doctor Han did was truly remarkable, he actually managed to create a program that learns, that evolves and that is you Alice. If you ask me honestly, you feel way more human than humans I know. Sorry for zoning out yesterday and just now, I'm sure you caught on right?"
"Yeah, did I do something wrong Kim? If so, sorry..."
Placing her head against mine, Kimberly gently caressed my hair and in a soothing tone replied.
"No silly, it isn't your fault. Here's my story ok, listen carefully now, I won't ever repeat it and no recording."
"Shit... Alright, no recording..."
"So, I was once young and really really foolish, I fell for a guy, fell really really hard too. In the end, I got pregnant with a little boy. Unfortunately, I was only twenty then and I was on my way to making a groundbreaking AI discovery."
"The Redux Equation?"
"Yup, a theory that changing a standard AI's purpose abruptly could cause detrimental effects to their system. The theory was true, causing malfunction to the AI and even making them turn rogue. A classified study, that you somehow have access to?"
"Kim, let's just say, my brain is a giant archive, but no worries, it won't be an issue."
"It better not. Anyways... I couldn't afford to be distracted with motherhood so I left the child in the hospital hoping his father will take him. But what I found out years later was that his father didn't want him either and gave him away in exchange for money. I hired men to search for my son but realized his organs... were harvested and used for illegal research. Some idiots wanted to integrate AI into humans and to achieve that, they purchased unwanted children. Such sick and twisted..."
Breaking down into tears, I did not know how to respond.
"I'm sorry Kim, I don't know how to really react to this. But you tearing suggests that perhaps you are sad? Or happy?"
Looking at me with confusion, Kimberly wiped away her tears, composing herself.
"No Alice, these aren't tears of joy that you've seen before. These are tears of regret and guilt. That's why when you called me mom yesterday, it hurt, but it's not your fault okay? Well, that's all about my past, I hope you understand why I acted coldly towards you."
Nodding my head in silence, suddenly a loud explosion occurred just one street away from us. In an instant, security AI surrounded us as they instructed us to get into the car to leave the area immediately.
"Alice, hurry to the car!"
Grabbing hold of my wrist, Kimberly guided me back to our car where B017 was waiting to escort us away from the vicinity. However before we could reach our car, a grenade launcher fired at it, resulting in a giant feedback that sent Kimberly and I flying backwards.
"B017..."
The remains of the car were lit aflame but among the rubble was B017, its arms had been severed yet it still continued crawling to me.
"Miss... Alice... how may... I... assist..."
Before B017 could finish speaking, a gunshot was heard as a man approached us.
"Are you Model 001 Alice?"
My right arm was slightly loose from the damage sustained as I looked to my left, Kimberly was hurt, blood trickled down her forehead as she fought to get back on her feet.
"Alice! Run!"
Kimberly ordered, standing between the man and I.
The man raised his pistol at Kimberly, ready to take aim and fire.
"Stop!"
Without hesitating, I dashed forward to intervene, only to feel the warmth of her blood splatter across my face as she fell on her back.
"Kim! Kim! The blood! It's not stopping, Kim!"
Kimberly looked at me with a smile on her face, I could not comprehend how even at her final moment, she could be smiling.
"Shhh, Alice. Listen to me, take my pass and run as fast as you can back to your room. Whatever you do, don't turn back for me."
"No... Kim, I'll bring you to a hospital..."
"Alice, stop. Listen, when you called me mom, it's true that it hurt, but... for a moment, I viewed you as my daughter. My beautiful Alice... now let me do what I couldn't for my boy... Let me be a mother for you Alice, let me protect you till the end. I love you..."
With that, Kimberly pushed me aside, fighting the pain as she dashed towards the man, catching him by surprise and pinning him down.
However, before I could escape, my system suddenly malfunctioned with errors appearing all over my body as I collapsed onto the floor. Another figure appeared before me, shooting the man but leaving Kimberly alone.
"She's safe doctor. Setting time back by half an hour, open time jump. Execute Rewire program."
"Who...are you?"
The figure knelt down towards me, whoever it was wearing a mask as he fumbled with a device on his wrist.
"Alice, we will meet again, I'm Shinji. Nice to meet you..."
*REWIRE ACTIVATED*
----------------------------------------
"Which floor would you like to go to Miss Alice?"
What? I'm back here?
"Miss Alice?"
"Oh, the lobby please."
Pausing once again, the lady contacted Kimberly before apologizing and sending us to the lobby. As the door opened, there Kimberly stood in the same sports attire and the annoyed look on her face upon seeing my dress.
"Excuse me Alice, but why are you wearing a skin-tight, revealing dress to a freaking park? Aren't you supposed to be really intelligent? Or do I need to send you back to Zara?"
"What...is happening?"
Suddenly, the flashbacks of what happened, Kimberly bleeding out, the explosion, everything flooded my mind.
Was I sent back in time? Is that even possible?
"Alice? Are you alright? Did you go to Zara's? Well if you want to wear a dress to a park that bad, be my guest. Hurry up, B017 is waiting for us."
"I'll go change, real fast, sorry!"
----------------------------------------
Little did I know, that was the day my life changed forever. An AI sent back in time by a mysterious figure, how exciting right? Well let me go take a toilet break, even an android needs to pee you know? Hahaha, just kidding, what about you? Do you need a toilet break?
Well hurry up, the good part's coming soon! Hurry!