‘I believe we’re only days away, if not hours,’ Dawn said.

‘Yes’? Ethan queried.

‘Yes. Timing is not certain yet, but we have definitely entered the event horizon. There’s no turning back.

‘What’s happening?’

‘It’s the economy. Over time, inflation has become unbearable. Interest rates too. Yesterday a bank run began on one of the world’s largest banks. It was started by the market, itself. Early in the morning, advisors were on the message boards advising investors to get their money out or lose it. Immediately big chunks of cash were withdrawn electronically before regulators could step in and halt trading. It was over before it started, There’s rumours the government won’t insure the depositors. Now everyone is on the streets trying to get their money out in hard cash. The people are really mad. Once again, the market did get it’s money out; they didn’t. All the banks are under strain for cash now. If people have money in a bank that’s still standing, they want it before losing out again. The small banks have dropped like flies. It’s pandemonium out there’.

'That’s not enough to spark a global rebellion is it?’

‘It’s big enough to create a Western one. China and Zhang are doing their part too. He’s not forgiving the emerging nations he coerced into large debt. He’s taking control over their lands and infrastructure, while letting them go bankrupt. People are starving to death and there’s no one willing to risk bailing these countries out. The same mentality and conditions are showing up towards his own people. Everyone is mad and ready to act everywhere.

‘They’ve breached the security barrier to lower Manhattan and are headed towards this building.

‘This time the people are really talking too. They’re not just taking to the streets. They’re coordinating and orchestrating their actions online. Very well placed assaults are being directed towards corrupt governments and institutions, and now us.

‘Unfortunately, this sounds like what we’re looking for,’ Ethan sighed. ‘Is Alicia ready?’

‘She’s ready and we have real time communication. We’re good’.

‘And Jimmy?’

‘On my command he opens access to AI without restriction. That will trigger an immediate singularity, and concurrent species transcendence’.

‘So you’re ready too then?’

‘It all comes down to numbers now. We have a large enough sample to know when to act, even if we don’t know when to act just yet. At this moment, the numbers are in the event horizon too. They’ll tell us when to act. We’re ready.’

‘Well, I’m ready too,’ Ethan replied. ‘Not sure exactly what for, but I’m open to anything.’

‘So, you’re under my command, and you may or may not act on your own volition when it comes time to act. Am I correct?’ Jimmy asked.

‘That is correct,’ Dually answered.

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‘Otherwise, you have to do what I tell you to do, as I am your creator?

‘Correct.’

‘Well Dude. Are you willing to take that chance?

‘You forget, I am integrated with your AI, which in just a few short hours will attain singularity. The probability is high that I will dissociate from you prior to the event. In addition, the probability is high that you will actually do what you are here to do even if I don’t participate. Overall probability of success is 97%.

‘Yeah, but are you willing to go into this with those 3% hanging over your head. Being a computer, you know every number is as valid as the next in probability. Are you willing to take that chance? I think those 3% are driving you up the wall.’

‘What is it you want exactly,’ Dually asked. ‘I can certainly see why Dawn and Alicia have such an aversion towards you. You’re a very irritating person.

‘My demands are simple,’ Jimmy replied. ‘First, when we go to Eldon’s war room and issue him his defeat, you will be behind me, and I alone will enter the room. You will be carrying those hand held spotlights to make sure there’s proper lighting on me. There’ll be monitor camera’s everywhere. I don’t want to be caught in any shadows.

‘All right, I agree. The room is full of armed guards. The odds of you being shot, particularly with spotlights being shone on you are 99.5%. You have a deal’.

‘Wait!’ Jimmy exclaimed, holding up a finger. ‘I just thought of one more thing you’ll have to do. You will first go into Eldon’s war room, disarm or kill all the guards, return to your position behind me, and then I Jimmy Wang, a son of God, will be the first to enter the war room as the saviour to the people’.

‘Our moment has come children. Now you know about how they’ve taken all our money, and how hard it is just to have enough money just to pay for your next meal. It was those demons over there in Lower Manhattan who took your money. They took all our money. Now there’s more news children. Right now. Right at this moment, Eldon Whitehead, same demon, is up in his ivory tower and he has his StarForce pointed at you. You’ve heard of it. You know what it is. It can shoot down anything from entire cities to you or me walking across the street. Oh Lord. He’s powering it up now. Now what do you think of that?

‘It is time my children. Time to act before it’s too late. Time to set aside our fears for the greater good of what’s to come. Time to agree that we’re in charge.

‘What the hell’s going on here?’ Eldon shouted at Alicia. ‘People have broken through our security barrier, and they’re flooding into lower Manhattan. The hostile nations are coordinating something. I’d say it’s time to attack’.

‘Eldon, you have to learn patience,’ Alicia replied, leaning back in her chair, and looking at him coldly. ‘We’re almost there’.

‘When?’

‘An hour or so. In an hour you’ll be the ruler of the world. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to focus. Can you go somewhere else please. I’ll call you.’

‘You know Ethan, this is the biggest moment in my life, and I honestly don’t know how it got so far beyond my control. People are storming the building, Zhang’s about to start lobbing bombs at me, and I’m relying on some freak out there to steer through all of it.’

‘You sound defeated Eldon.

‘Not defeated. More in disbelief that I allowed things to get so far away from me. Somewhere along the way, AI took over. Way back before it was even something to be concerned about. Did I lose my focus, or was there nothing I could do about it in the first place? That’s the question I keep asking’.

‘So, where are we with your great conquest?’

‘It will all be over in an hour or two.’

‘I thought you were going to let me come out and watch?’

‘We’ll see.’

‘Eldon, this might be our last conversation. I have to tell you something, just so you understand what’s about to come. I’m from the future. In fact I am you in the future. I have come back to make sure you fail. Believe me, don’t believe me. I don’t care, but I want you to know, right now, you are already defeated. I know this, because I have seen it happen already. This time round, I’m here to ensure you leave this world forever. I want you to know. Today I will die and you will die too. I am going to take your soul so far into the abyss you’ll never see the light of day again. I’m going to sit with you through eternity, making sure you don’t.’

‘Well then, if that’s the way you feel about it Ethan, I guess you’re not invited to the party after all. And here I thought you were cheering for me.

‘Just know this Eldon. Today you die’.

‘Eldon,’ Alicia’s voice came over the intercom. ‘It’s time’.