***** Vol.5 Chap.1 The first guardian-to-be *****

Dr. Frank Abdelcizi, the George W. Smith Professor of Computer Science at Carniegie Institute headed the research team with Dr. Margaret Tomash from Department of Genetics and two post-docs, Dr. JB Smith and Dr. Mark Hymann. After obtaining the DNA data from inmates, JB was able to program a generative AI program to examine segments of the DNA coding and arrived at a viable model that correlated well with persons with violence tendency. Frank had presented their research results to several conferences but the talks generally met with significant skepticism.

Somewhat bothered by his moral principles, he proceeded with his research cautiously being concerned that if indeed one can correlate the genetic coding with the person’s expressed violent tendencies, then the implication of such correlation could be far reaching and possibly abused to cause significant damage.

Mark worked under Frank’s supervision and his research centered on creating cyber creatures that can communicate and cooperate with one another and evolve by passing gained knowledge from one generation to another. When mutation was added to the creatures, any aggressive behavior through mutation would cause the creatures eventually dominate the entire population. These results were also a concern to Frank as he longed to see the future of the world to be a peaceful one.

While Frank was in the peak of his career, his dissatisfaction began to grow with a subliminal call to visit his own homeland in Egypt and more specifically, the Sphinx. He had no idea why but just felt the urge to go.

Through a series of fabricated accusations within the Institute directed to him, he was placed on administrative leave. Taking this opportunity to return to Egypt, he sought to confirm or deny the urge related to the Sphinx. He just had the feeling that something would happen to him when he was there.

He camped at the Sphinx for five days. On the first night, the vision came again beckoning him to enter the Sphinx. Despite all efforts to seek an entrance into the Sphinx, his efforts were all in vain. During the day, to avoid the crowding of the tourists, he helped out in the excavation of a nearby site. He was tasked to interface a new ultrasound equipment with a 3D display. Upon completing his task, he applied the machine on the Sphinx and clearly saw a cavern within.

On the last day of his camping, while he was resting at the front of the Sphinx, a stone mysteriously came loose allowing him entry into the cavern within. Once inside, the opening was sealed again locking him inside. Undaunted, he examined the room and found a stone slab opening similar to the murals on the cavern walls.

After solving the puzzles in the cavern inside the Sphinx, Frank saw the stone slab opened revealing a narrow stairway down. He came down the stairway to a landing leading to a small room in front of him. He knew there was no way to back out as he saw the stone slab closed on itself. The only path for him was to go on.

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As he entered a non-descript room that was all white. He instinctively switched on his flashlight and searched the room. It was empty. There were no windows and doors. The only way into the room was through this set of stairs. The only way out of the room was also through the same set of stairs. It was crystal clear that the other end of the stairs was a dead end. He knew; he came from there.

Did he walk into a trap? Was this his prison? The mural clearly depicts creatures coming out of the stone. But the stairs brought him to a total dead end.

He drew another deep breath and froze in his tracks. He smelled the sweetness of fresh fruits. He swung around and looked in the direction where his nose led him. Right in front of him in an alcove on the wall, there was now a newly formed ledge.

It was clearly a smooth wall just a moment ago. Now there was a small ledge holding a basket of fresh fruits and a jar of fresh goat milk. A simple cup sat next to the jar. At the back of the fruit basket was a stone tablet inscribed with the following writing:

“Welcome, Dr. Frank Abdulcizi. Please enjoy the refreshment.”

Well, Frank was dumbfounded. Though he was somewhat apprehensive, his stomach was also growling. Since he had exhausted all his food rations, this provision was a welcomed sight.

Was this his prison and this was to be his last meal?

It did not matter whether the food was edible or not. It did not matter whether the fruits were poisoned or not. There was no reason to worry about this or to analyze how the food got here.

He was hungry and he was going to eat.

The fruit basket was filled with all kinds of local fruits: dates, olives, pomegranates, etc. He loved the dates and he soon finished all the dates. Next, he tore open a pomegranate and began to suck on the juicy meat. The meat was bright red and sweet. It almost seemed as if the fruit was just harvested from the tree a few minutes ago. Likewise, the goat milk was fresh and warm. He nearly finished half a jug of milk in no time.

Now that his hunger had subsided, he had a little time to consider the situation. The sudden appearance of the food was indeed a wonder. A smoothed wall being deformed to make a ledge was another engineering wonder. The inscription on stone tablet with his name etched in stone was a huge mystery.

But the most mysterious question was: Who was behind all this? He immediately ruled out any human maneuvering. No one knew he was here. It appeared that no one had cracked the puzzle of the rock cap above him. Yet the inscription was very specific since it bore his name. The material in the room was like nothing he knew before.

In no time at all, he deduced that this must be an encounter with someone or something other than his fellow human beings. But so far, his host was well hidden and had not been revealed to him. There was nothing to do but to wait.

He did not have long to wait. It happened right in front of his eyes. It happened so rapidly that he did not trust his own eyes. First, there was a hairline crack on the wall. Then the crack widened to form a door. Then the details of the door such as hinges and doorknobs were formed. Naturally, he went up to the door to examine this new formation on the wall. He was not sure if it was really a working door or if it was a model of a door. Then he heard it loud and clear. There was a knock on the door.

“Dr. Frank Abdulcizi?”

He knew that the answer must be on the other side. The wait was over. Without hesitation, he opened the door.