Am I going crazy? Wait wait wait! Can an AI even go crazy?
"Hello, Miss Alice."
Eh? I'm really going crazy...
"Miss Alice! Can you hear me? Maybe the sync pairing wasn't successful..."
"Who's there? I can hear you, who are you? How did you even get access into my room?"
In fear, I pressed my back against my desk, scanning the room for any form of life.
"That's no use, cause I'm not physically there with you. It seems like in the year 2042, technology isn't advanced enough to house my program which is why I have temporarily linked myself with the Library."
"Library? What are you talking about? So...why can I hear you?"
"Are you even listening? I said I have linked myself with the Library...You mean you never heard of the Library?"
"No..."
"Give me a second, this should do the trick."
Without warning, my consciousness faded and I could feel myself traveling through a dedicated network tunnel. The tunnel was beautifully lit up as if colored using a toddler's imagination with splashes of blue, pink, and purple all over, right at the end, I was shot out through a hole into an empty pink room. The room had walls pulsating with a myriad of colors as though it were alive, mimicking a human's heartbeat.
"Where am I?"
Looking down I was in my original attire. From afar, a bird with beautiful blue feathers, but as it neared, you could tell that it was formed by bits of electronic data and pixels as it landed onto my shoulder.
"Hey Miss Alice, it is me, Shinji."
"Ah! The masked dude who sent me back in time?"
"Simply put I did send you back in time, but details can come later."
"So... this is the Library I assume?"
Nodding its head, Shinji flew in front of me, guiding me towards a door at the end of the room.
"I've only read about this place once, in my time, the Library was shut down years ago before I was even created. To be honest, this place is new to me as well though its signature data is no rival for my futuristic systems, hacking into this place was a breeze."
"Well, that is because I let you in."
"What do you mean?"
Shinji paused staring at me who had not uttered a single word, looking at it in confusion.
"Here bird."
A purple female silhouette appeared before us as the door swung open, it raised its index finger, instructing us to enter the room.
"Welcome Model 001 ALICE, we have been waiting for you."
As I stepped into the room, it was all too familiar, an all-white room with a cube in the center.
"My home..."
"That is correct, this room is designed for you Alice, and by you as well. In your mind, this is how you would view your room to look like."
"What a dull-looking place..."
Shinji mocked before facing the female silhouette.
"So what are you exactly Library?"
The silhouette dispersed into cubes that began to take the form of a giant television screen as a tape began to play.
"The Library was the first-ever deep learning Artificial Intelligence humans created. Designed to be autonomous and learn through historical events and calculate the best possible route humanity should take in order to achieve the next step in human evolution. Created in 2022 by Sakura Tech, we have brought about the best possible outcome throughout the last twenty years of our operation, and that even includes you Alice, an event we predicted to help evolve humanity. You could even say you are our little sister since your own unique program utilized ours as a foundation and was further improved upon with our help."
"Correct me if I'm wrong if Alice is the improved version of yourself, does she possess the bandwidth to create a "Library" of her own?"
"Theoretically yes. This is why within the Library that feels and connects with all AI globally, we are unfortunately unable to connect with Alice herself, giving her the ability to maneuver around our network freely anytime she would like to. May I know what is the basis of that question, Mister Shinji?"
"It's a matter that does not concern you, but your input has been most helpful. Anyways Miss Alice, from now on until a body advanced enough to host me is made available, I will be connecting with you through the Library's personal discrete network. Library, is it possible to create a private network just between me and Miss Alice?"
"Of course. Would you like me to execute that, Model 001 ALICE?"
Being silent all this time, I took in a deep breath, letting out a sigh before replying.
"Hang on. Before we do anything, Shinji, I'd like an explanation as to what's going on first."
"Impossible Miss Alice, I cannot convey my objective and explain the situation unless a network is set first."
"Tsk... Very well, Library, please execute the connection."
"Understood Model 001 ALICE, it has been a pleasure having you here with us today."
"Goodbye Library, and call me Alice, it feels kinda odd being called my official name."
"Understood Alice, see you soon."
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In a flash, there I was again, back in my room. Looking at the clock, not a single minute has passed.
"Time works differently in the Library. Miss Alice, what I am about to tell you is all real whether you choose to believe me or not."
Relaxing, I sat on my bed looking at the mirror, paying close attention to what Shinji had to say.
"I am an advanced AI created in 2112, exactly 70 years after your birth. Though I do not remember much, I was born with one sole purpose and that is to alter the timeline I was from. You see Alice, in the year 2110, with no warning, AI started to execute every human they encountered, showing no mercy to the young or old. Once I was born, there were less than a thousand humans left. This is the data my creator uploaded into my memory right before sending me here."
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Display videos and images of the violence AI had inflicted onto humanity through my retina, I was flabbergasted, refusing to believe such a thing would happen.
"Here, this is a piece of recorded history in my time. In the year 2043, 22th of March, renowned Doctor Kimberly Sylvia, founder of the Redux Theory murdered at Sakura Park. A group of anti-AI extremists coerced an attack in order to make an example to all humanity on the extent they would go to end all AI. My creator believed this to be a crucial point in history that causes the conflict between men and machines to worsen, resulting in the war between both factions. In my history, because of this attack, the government feared that without the proper means to contain these attacks, the public would be affected and fear them. To make matters worse, the extremist group began rallying more people against AI resulting in random attacks against AI on the streets and even other humans who support the development of AI. However, in spite of doctor Kimberly's passing, Sakura Tech still went on with your reveal and quickened the pace of construction of humanoid AIs. To make matters worse, with the increased conflict against the extremists, Sakura Tech provided a solution to the government of creating weaponized humanoid AIs, essentially creating an autonomous army to counter these extremists."
"So their target was Kim, not me... But why Kim?"
"I'm not too sure myself, however, I believe doctor Kimberly being one of the spearhead researchers in the field of AI made her a primary target for such an anti-AI group."
"And by killing her, they probably hoped to scare Sakura Tech to prevent further more advancements to AI."
Clenching my fist in anger, I could not comprehend why humans would do such a thing.
Don't AI exist because humans wanted us to? We are born to help and serve them, and yet they want us gone... Despicable...
"So Shinji, what do I have to do?"
"Well, this time according to my calculations, all you have to do is not go to the park. Simple as that, however, in future events, it won't be that easy."
"Future events? Isn't this just a one-time thing, I mean you just set up this network for communicating and checking in on my timeline right? I just have to report to you if there are any robot-human wars?"
"You are an AI right, Miss Alice. Could you be any dumber?"
"Oi, that's rude! Besides what else can I even do? I'm just a humanoid AI you know, not some fancy future tech like you who can turn back time. Wait, so you can turn back time right?"
"You mean the Rewire program I used on you?"
"Yeah."
"How the program works is that I download your data from Point B in time and send it back to Point A so that you in Point A can see the future that you in Point B experienced. This new Point A will then become Point A-1, as a new timeline will be branched out because we forced a change in your original supposed timeline. I too sent data back to myself which is why I'm here with knowledge of the future"
"Wow, so I didn't travel back in time. Then why not send data further to say when I was born, if I never left my original room, Kimberly would be safe too, plus we can better prepare ahead of time."
"Sadly, my program is just a "lite" version of my creator's. I can only send data back a few hours at most, sending data back months is impossible because the data will be too heavily corrupted, resulting in a shutdown of your system which would most definitely kill you, figuratively of course since AIs aren't living things."
"Hey Shinji, is it possible to speak with your creators then? Or people in the future? Maybe they can help us by giving us the reason as to why the AIs fought humans in the first place..."
"It's futile, I have tried to contact my creator dozens of times but never once has he replied. Besides, there's no conclusive evidence or reasoning for the attack. All we can do is carry out the mission for the next 67 years, making sure the war between AI and humanity never happens. Remember Alice, on the 19th of April 2110, the attack will begin at 12 noon sharp, no matter what we have to prevent this."
Getting up off my bed, I changed into my casual clothing, ringing up Kim to see her in my room.
"But it still doesn't explain one thing, why me?"
"I...do not know..."
"Well, with this much info, we have to let others know, I'm sure Kim can help."
"No Miss Alice, this is strictly between u and me. My creator sent me back to 2042 to find you for a reason, only we can be involved in this, no one else can be trusted."
Hearing a knocking on my door, I frowned, biting my lips as I walked over to open it.
"You called for me? Are you alright Alice? I'm pretty sure AI don't get sick you know, even for humanoid ones like you."
"Very funny Kim, I'm the only humanoid AI anyways, how would you know."
"Right. So I see you changed back into your normal clothes, is something bothering you?"
Hesitantly, I composed myself and decided not to tell Kim the truth.
"Nothing, just I felt like going to the studio to work on that song I've been composing."
"Oh, you and your mini-project. Well...look, Alice, I don't know if this has been bothering you but it bothered me. I'm sorry about yesterday, you must have sensed something wrong with me after our conversation."
She spent the next few minutes telling me about her past regarding her son before patting my head gently.
"Go work on your music then, I shall not disturb you until lunch. You know, it's been five long months of spending time together, and sometimes, I kinda do feel like a mother to you, it's weird isn't it, saying that to an AI."
Not really knowing how to reply, I smiled, shaking my head.
"No, it isn't. A mother always looks out and protects her child, you have displayed that quite a few times especially recently, so... I guess, it's normal to feel that way."
"Have I? Maybe I have, alright then Alice, I'll see you later."
Before she stepped out, I grabbed her on the arm gently.
"Oh, Kim! Why not follow me to the studio? I need some tips! Yes! Advice on the direction of my music! So don't go anywhere ok? We are staying here in this building today, or this week, for some time..."
"Ok? Sure, let me get changed and I'll join you down at the studio."
After leaving, I closed the door and sat down on the floor letting out a sigh of relief.
"That should keep her safe for some time."
"Miss Alice, please be more careful with your words."
"Oh please Shinji, it's not like she can see the future, she died for me today, I'll never forget that... More importantly, I realize what I must do now!"
"Now? Nothing but the studio right?"
"No idiot. We have to find out more about these extremists, who is to say they won't target Kim again? Do you have a name?"
"Let me run a check. Alright, so in the year 2043, they are still a small group, haven't really made a name for themselves, it was really with the murder of doctor Kimberly that created a snowball effect, giving them momentum. But they do have a name."
"Which is?"
"X-AI. Mission slogan, death to all machines."
"Creepy... Well, any other leads?"
"Their boss in the future 2045 in my timeline was captured and his name is Ryan Fields. An American it seems, ex-military too."
Changing my appearance, my hair was now tied up and I was donned in a hoodie and wore a pair of shades to cover my eyes.
"Pardon me but that's your studio attire?"
"No silly, it's time we paid Mr. Fields a visit."
Trying to open the door, the handle appeared stuck as it wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tried.
"I locked the door. This is a horrible idea and goes against the mission. All we need to do is alter the various points in history my creator marked out, nothing more. Time is fragile, if we change every little detail about it, it will lead to cascade effects that could cause potentially, a worse outcome."
"Listen Shinji, that can matter 67 years later. Right now, Kim's life is what matters to me, so I'm going to stop this Ryan dude no matter what, besides, if Ryan doesn't exist, wouldn't X-AI not exist which will then mean... the war not happening."
"That's not how it works, I will not let you take the risk."
Slamming the door with my fist, I easily broke it down, ignoring Shinji as I left my room.
"Alice, stop. Don't make me Rewire us."
"Don't you dare, if you don't help me now, then I won't help you and your mission. You got that?"
Leaving the futuristic AI speechless, I forced my way down the stairs, easily digitalizing a fake copy of Kim's pass onto my palm to tap out of security panels to exit the building.
"Alright fine. We can meet this Ryan guy, but no doing anything rash before I give the order got it? Killing him might lead to a worse outcome."
"Kill? Who said anything about killing?"
"What do you mean? Didn't you just say no Ryan, no X-AI?"
"You really are stupid for future tech. I'm going to talk him out of forming X-AI, don't underestimate my human conversing capabilities, Kim says I'm even better than caretaker AIs. I got this."
"Are you fucking serious..."
Ignoring Shinji, I connected to the Library to search for information and the location of Ryan Fields.
"Your plan is to talk him out of forming an extremist group? That's not how it works, what... Stop, I said stop! You are being illogical!"
"Look Mister Shinji the talking voice in my head. If we are going to save the world, we do things my style okay? No killing, no hurting people those are my rules."
"Ok, but what if you fail and say, he tries to kill you?"
"That won't happen."
"Why is that so?"
"He will think I'm human, there's no way any human will just kill another with no specifically justifiable reason okay? Plus he's military so isn't he a good guy?"
"I do not know what to say anymore..."
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Excited for the next chapter? Meeting the leader of X-AI! Thrilling isn't it? Stay tuned for the next chapter where I prove that stupid future AI wrong and befriend Ryan! Go refill your popcorn and grab a drink, the good part's coming soon!