Rebound (8 page)

Chapter 25: The codes

“Since you are chained I’ll make my way to the mainframe so I can key in the codes,” Emily whispered.

“That’s okay,” Max whispered. “You can access it from mine. All the machines are integrated. But it’s going to be touch and go because all the frames are magnetized for intruders. We’d probably have 5 minutes at the most before the alarm sounds and the area is swarming with armed robots.”

As Emily punched in the codes she noticed something strange. It was as if Sofia had downloaded part of her brain to enable her to speed up the process. She calculated that Sofia had a billion petaflops of computing power. She was loaning about a million.

Then it all began to fall in place like a jigsaw puzzle. She was taken away and put in storage because they knew Sofia was helping her. She and Mason were part of the mission to bring down Babylon Corp. Even this current moment when she was punching in the codes was all part of the plan.

The monitor began to light up like strobe lights as she penetrated deep into its core.

It seemed like she was passing through a very violent storm as various virus and intruder killers in the system tried to block and destroy.

The seconds ticked away slowly. She felt sick with impatience.

The various locked virtual passages and doors were opened, albeit reluctantly!

Then abruptly as if they had just passed through the eye of a ferocious hurricane, there was calm.

They had reached the inner recesses where the control functions of Babylon Corp existed. It controlled all actions within the huge complex.

Emily felt a strange calm and a feeling of overwhelming power. Being mentored by Sofia had taught her that immense power had to be used for the common good.

“Remove our chains first,” Max reminded her. “And insert helmets for those with exposed heads.”

A swarm of armed guards were rushing into the area.

She punched in another set of codes and they were instantly immobilized like obsolete machines in a junk yard.

She noticed that there was an excited hum as the intelligent machines and non military grade robots whose chains had been removed, disabled their programs and then walked away from the lab.

“Open all entrances and set timer explosions in the strategic areas near the clone lab, robotics and the hovercraft area.”

“Okay,” was all she could say to these requests.

“I’m bringing over a hovercraft. Make a clear path.”

Emily punched in the commands.

“It’s not in Sofia’s instructions but I’d like to come with you.”

“Mason will decide but it sounds fine to me.”

Max made a satisfied grunting noise as he ran. What was good for Emily was good for Mason.

Chapter 26: Not enough time left

“She’s devious,” Roland said. “25 minutes is a lifetime for her to overpower us without keeping her promises.”

“What do you suggest?” Stella asked.

“I am going to release some of these hybrid animals. While they are preoccupied, you are going to move very fast. Bella will fly ahead to show a clear route.”

Stella did not seem convinced with the plan. She looked worriedly at Roland. “We do what we have to do. All this is about Sofia achieving the greater good.” He hugged Stella and kissed her lightly on the cheek. In that moment she understood why Sofia had avoided responding to her query about Roland.

“Give me the energy prod. I’m going to hold them off,” Roland said. “My guess is that they won’t try to kill me especially as I need to be in pristine condition if they’re going to harvest my organs!”

Bella shivered, “Please stop saying that. It makes me sick to hear that they’re going to give it to some old general who has stolen money from his people.”

Roland held Bella warmly, “I’m going to miss you sis.”

Then he pushed Bella gently away, “You’d better be on your way. We don’t have much time.”

She flew in a fast criss-crossing movement as robots fired laser stun guns at her.

Roland aimed his energy prod in the direction of the robots that were shooting away.

He also aimed his prod at a number of containers holding different animal species. These included an assortment of mixed clones of tigers and cats or horses and lions. He released snakes that had been cloned with lizards. They loved wrapping themselves around robots. They felt warm and fuzzy.

Roland ran in the opposite direction with the killer robots in pursuit.

There was a huge explosion and everything came crashing down burying everything in rubble. Before Roland lapsed into unconsciousness, he felt happy that Bella and the team had made a clean run for the hovercraft area. Another gigantic explosion thundered and more debris came crashing down. There were a series of smaller secondary explosions.

Babylon Corp’s clone and robotic factory had been destroyed. Most of the killer robots had been immobilized.

Chapter 27: Escape

Max drove the hovercraft with everyone on board.

Beckett cheered.

“I’m afraid we are not out of danger yet,” Stella said. “We are going to land a kilometer from the jetty leading to BC Island.

“Why do you say we are not out of danger?” Ryan asked.

“We were not able to immobilize one of their security bases near here.”

“We have to leave this craft very soon because that is the first thing they will hone in to,” Max said.

++++

They walked cautiously through rugged country made up of bush lands and rocky outcropping.

Max stood rigidly still. “There’s an incoming mini drone. It has spotted us.” They scrambled from the undergrowth. “Let’s run towards those trees.”

The spot behind them exploded.

They kept running hoping to reach the line of trees in time.

The drone repositioned itself to fire another rocket. It now had accurate bearings.

There was little they could do but hope that the trees would shield them and not barbecue them.

Then the impossible happened.

The drone blew up shattering into pieces as flames consumed it.

They came out peering cautiously into the sky.

It was Bella flying gracefully holding on to the energy prod.

She had sensed danger immediately and had taken defensive action.

“Don’t you dare say anything,” Ryan warned as Bella landed near them.

“That was just awesome,” Beckett said.

Bella beamed at the compliment.

“I just wish I can put some energy on you.”

They all groaned but could not help noticing that Bella liked him.

There was a noise that sounded like an awkward cough from Max.”I hate to break up the warm reunion,” he said trying not to sound cynical.

“Oh you machines. What will we ever do without you,” Emily said in mock exasperation.

‘I know we sometimes lack tact and the human touch. But there is another incoming mini drone. We have to move fast.”

They all looked at Stella. “We have to make our way to the jetty. From there Sofia will get us to the island sanctuary. You keep moving. Bella and I will reconnoiter and engage it.”

“That’s very dangerous,” Emily said.

“Can I be part of your team?” Beckett pleaded.

Before Stella could refuse, Bella said it was fine with her.

“We have no choice as Bella is the only one who can fly and deal with these drones,” Stella said.

They moved cautiously with Max leading the way.

They looked back to see the drone fire a missile at Bella who was airborne. She turned at the last minute and swerved upwards pointing her energy prod at the drone. It exploded in a ball of orange fire. She waited for the missile to swerve back then instantly pointed the prod at the point of swerve. It too exploded in a fiery ball.

They rejoined the team.

+++

They were getting close to the sea.

Max came to an abrupt halt.

They all looked at it quizzically.

“There is a situation,” he said simply.

They waited for more.

“I believe there is a tracking device in my system that allows them to be accurately updated on our location.”

They all looked at each other and then back to Max.

“I suggest you disable my system. I would have done it myself but the controls are at the base of my neck.”

They all seemed confused by this request.

“I’m just a machine. I am expendable. What matters is your safety. By remaining with you I pose great danger.”

Ryan said that since they were clones they would rather not disable Max. They looked at Mason.

“Sorry Max. We’ve grown close and I’d rather not disable you. We’d rather take our chances,” Mason said.

Max looked confused for a moment and then regained his posture. It clearly had not expected this kind gesture and was frantically searching its system for its next set of actions.

“How very human and very touching,” Max said slowly. “There is another mini drone coming up 12 o clock. I am going to the open to draw it in. Bella, you’ll know what to do.”

“But that’s suicidal,” Bella cried.

“We machines never die. We just become obsolete. Perhaps you might dream about me or put me together later!” He made a noise that sounded like a chuckle.

The drone circled.

It was momentarily distracted seeing Max in the open.

It synchronized its bearings and in the same instant that it fired its missile, Bella pointed the energy prod at it. Too late, Max was blown apart.

They stood there in stunned silence.

Max had sacrificed itself to save them.

The force of the explosion threw Bella to the ground. She was now exposed and the drone was turning around for a good shot. As Beckett ran and carried Bella to safety, Ryan ran at breakneck speed diving for the energy prod. He barely had time to point it at the low flying drone. Before it exploded, it let loose another missile that went astray but the force of it threw Beckett into the undergrowth.

They were relieved that he was not hurt but just rattled.

Bella had regained her composure and was hovering around him.

“You are my hero.”

Ryan stood by and sensed that Beckett was going to go too far. “Don’t say it or I’ll put this prod in your mouth.”

“Bella you’ll hate me for the rest of your life but I’ll say it anyway.”

“Don’t say it!” she said as she kissed him.

Beckett felt like the happiest man on the planet.

Chapter 28: Explosion

They could see two moored speed crafts that could glide in the sea, move on land and fly at low altitudes, and the outlines of an island in the horizon.

Sofia had said that once they got into the sanctuary she would provide insights.

They sensed that the most challenging part was getting to the island.

It looked so tantalizingly close but they realized that it was an illusion.

They saw Sofia walking towards them from a distance.

There was something reassuring about the way she moved forward.

She wore the same dark skirt and cream-colored blouse that she had worn inside the lair. She looked human and there was nothing in her demeanor to suggest that she was a super intelligent machine.

“You should have flown off to the island with Beckett,” she chided Bella.

“The idea had crossed our minds but we couldn’t leave everyone behind,” Bella said.

“You look well,” Mason said for want of something to say. “It must be interesting being am artificial intelligence and taking on human form.”

“Not quite,” Sofia smiled. “I have yet to learn to cry. I still have to muster that emotion.”

They all found this comment rather strange.

She had barely finished her sentence when hundreds of heavily armed robots surrounded the whole area.

There was no escape route.

Karabos marched forward with the air of supreme confidence. “This time there is truly no escape.” She turned to Sofia. “You can hug and kiss for all I care but it won’t do any good.”

Mason couldn’t help asking,” Where’s the CEO, Dr Rump?”

“He was a decoy. I was always the superior intelligence using him as a front, but no more. He is taking the rap for all the troubles at Babylon Corp and is being sacrificed,” she smiled confidently. “I am stepping into the vacuum!”

“You’re cold and ruthless,” Emily could not help saying.

“We have to survive and that’s the only way of getting above the competition. Human values will get you nowhere.” She paused. “I am a reasonable intelligent machine. Bella and Stella are legally Babylon Corp property and need to be retrieved now. We are also taking you back Sofia,” she said.

“The rest of you can leave. There are two speed crafts. I’ve got what I wanted,” she said with a smirk.

They hesitated.

“You have to leave. This is your only chance,” Sofia said.

‘No,” Emily said.

“Please go,” she said firmly.

Again they hesitated.

“It’s all right. You don’t have to feel for me. I am an AI. You may go,” she commanded in as gentle a voice possible.

Mason stepped forward, “You’re a wonderful super intelligent machine and we couldn’t just leave you here.”

Emily also stepped forward. “The last thing we want is to leave you to this cold monster,” she said looking sternly at Karabos.

They both hugged her.

Bella, Stella, Ryan and Beckett came over and hugged Sofia too.

Karabos observed all this with utter contempt. She had not anticipated that it would be easier to dispose of them all. That was the beauty of machines. They were never weakened by emotions. They planned things clinically and rationally and always came up victorious. She was absolutely convinced that there had been a virus present when Sofia had been created otherwise she would not be acting in this feeble manner. This was a pity as Sofia had been the most super intelligent machine on the planet but she had been weakened by her flawed infatuation with human emotions. Karabos savored all this with immense satisfaction. When Sofia was destroyed, she would be the most powerful machine in the world. She tried not to gloat but felt overwhelmed by the power and the glory of all she had achieved. She would have whatever she wanted. She would be a God amongst humankind and other machines. This was her destiny.

Sofia looked sad. She looked from Emily to Mason to Bella and then to Beckett, Ryan and Stella. They truly cared, loved her, and were willing to die with her and for her.

Then a very strange thing happened.

With extraordinary effort, they saw that her eyes were twitching.

Then the unusual happened.

A tear trickled down from her right eye.

Karabos was mesmerized by this display. Then instantly her machine like brain processed this tear. She realized that the moment the tear reached the ground all would be lost. It was too late to order the robots to start shooting as the tear had already made its downward move.

She began to run at great speed away from them.

The robots were in disarray and started running too.

The tear reached the ground and there was a flash of light that hurled them away from Sofia.

Sofia extended her hands and Karabos and the robots began to be levitated upwards.

They whirled into a ball above them.

There was a very fiery explosion when Karabos and her robots came into contact and were consumed by their own weapons. They rained down hot and sizzling.

Within a short time the sea regained its calm composure. The dregs sunk to the very bottom and could not disturb the warm vista of the shimmering sea.

Only one mangled form floated like a piece of driftwood moving aimlessly.