The Genesis Code 1: Lambda (11 page)

“But what about the Void Moderators?” Richard inquired, trying to bring light to what he was sure to be doom if not properly addressed.

His wife looked to be losing her patience. “I’m telling you, I would have been told-”

A screen burst to life above her. The stern face of the Director barreled down upon them.

“Richard is correct. Given the situation, I was left with no other choice but to enlist aid from Babel. They have given me authority over the Void Reapers to ensure Lambda’s capture.”

Karen now looked enraged. “Why wasn’t I told of this?!” she barked.

Charles peered down with intensity. “Informing you had no meaning. Your job was to monitor the Lambda unit until I gave you further instructions.”

Karen grit her teeth, unable to say a word.

Richard moved to speak. “Director, our . . . kids are with Lambda. You can’t possibly think that-”

“The well-being of your children ranks second to Lambda’s retrieval. I will say it is quite unfortunate that they are involved on such a level,” Charles replied coldly.

Richard now felt something snap in him. “You think the assassins of the Cyber Network are going to care about anything so long as they bring down the Lambda unit?! They’d soon use my son as a meat shield before they did anything to protect something!”

Charles noted Richard’s concern, but there was little he could do. “Their orders were to cause as little collateral damage as possible in bringing in Lambda. They will have to come to me-”

“Those are High King bloodhounds! They don’t answer to you, Charles! If you think they are under your control, you are sadly mistaken!” Richard bellowed.

Charles’ eyes darkened. “That’s enough!” he roared. “I will hear no more of this! You are to monitor Lambda’s movements and track it, should it make any rash moves. Until the Void Moderators detain Lambda, you will remain on standby. Do I make myself clear?”

The entire lab was silent. The tension was enough to shatter bone.

“Should problems arise, Richard, I will do my best to ensure your children aren’t harmed. That I can promise you,” Charles said, with as much concern as he could muster.

Richard let his head fall. “I fear for their safety, just like any father would.”

Karen broke in with dark words. “Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil.”

Charles stared intently, unsure what Karen meant. Richard, however, knew of the quote Karen used. She had a certain fancy way of flaunting her intellectual superiority in quoting famous words of some of history’s greatest thinkers and writers. This time, she went with Aristotle.

Before either of the two men could get a word in, Karen stormed out of the lab without making eye contact. No one made an effort to stop her as the metal door leading to the lab swooshed open and shut behind her swiftly.

Richard looked up at Charles within the monitor. “I hope you know what you’re doing. You’re dealing with forces that are outside our control,” he warned.

Charles smirked, finding humor in Richard’s words. “My dear friend,” he said with a chuckle. “That ship has long since sailed the moment the Cyber Network was born.”

*
      
*
      
*

[January 6th - Undisclosed Location - Day]

Corson watched intently as he noted Laura’s team was now Diving and racing to their respective positions for the mission. Everything was set. All they needed now was for the main heroine to take the stage.

“Incoming transmission from Commander Richter,” stated the computer before Corson.

“Patch her through.”

Laura
’s image quickly flooded the screen before Corson.

“We are set and in position. Has the target left the private server?”

Corson shook his head. “No, and it would appear that that two new signatures entered the private channel not too long ago. I’m left to believe that the boy has predicted our move.” Corson mused to himself. He had underestimated the kid. This was now turning into a brilliant game of chess.

“Should we try to crack the channel? If we strike now we could-”

“No,” Corson said firmly. “It would only alert the Network security and kill our chances of getting close to the target. We need to try and hack Zack’s sister’s account as discreetly as possible. The last thing I need is World Moderators chasing us now.”

“What if they cancel the concert and the target leaves the Network?”

Corson folded his arms. “Then we will just have to seek alternative means to get ahold of her, but rest assured,” Corson hummed confidently. “I’m already prepared to compensate.”

“I see,” Laura said proudly. “Then we shall hold position until your order. Commander Richter, out.” Laura’s image vanished and was replaced by the grid layout of the concert location in the Network. Corson eyed the layout carefully.

What is your next move, boy?

“Alert, incoming transmission. Transmission encrypted, no video log,” came the monotone voice of the computer once more.

Corson stared at the screen intently. “Put it through.” His words were harsh.

The screen turned to static as an altered voice sounded.

“I overestimated Stigma’s abilities. Your little
gang
is clearly unreliable.”

Corson’s eyes thinned. “You have some gall contacting me only to say that. You didn’t honor our agreement. Lambda was to obey us.”

There was silence. Only the image of static could be seen by Corson’s dark eyes.

“Lambda was reset as you requested. It was you who failed to get there in time. I’m not responsible for every little variable. That was your job to consider and account for.” The voice was plain-spoken, which infuriated Corson.

“What do you mean? We arrived promptly to the scene where Lambda appeared. So answer me—why was a simple, normal boy able to control Lambda?” Corson’s voice carried with a unsettling fury.

“You fail to grasp the situation. Lambda was only able to be reprogrammed where the first person it sees is to be recognized as its Master Control. Its AI intelligence functions like an infant child as it imprints on the first biological human it scans optically. Since its programming was altered and reset, this also reset its master. You failing to get there when it appeared is not my-”

Corson slammed his fist on the terminal. “You never once stated this! How were we to know this was going to happen when you said it would simply obey us when we retrieved it?!” he fumed. It boiled his blood not being able to know who he was talking to.

Corson quickly regained his composure. “So, you mean to tell me Lambda will now obey this Zack Knight boy?”

“Correct. Unless Lambda is reset, it will see the boy as its master. Though at this stage, it would be near impossible to reset it,” replied the contact frankly.

Corson paused momentarily. “Fine, what are Lambda’s limitations now that it is obeying the boy?”

Silence gripped the room once more.

Corson’s eye twitched. “I said-”

“There are none.”

Corson fell silent as he suddenly felt a little uneasy. “You mean to tell me that the Lambda unit will do anything the boy says?”

“Correct. Lambda has been set to consider this Zack character as a top priority. Lambda will not question any command from him.”

Corson glared, but at the same time, began to laugh wickedly. He knew a system reset for Lambda now was impossible, but his need for Zack’s cooperation became all the more needed for his plan.

“If that is the case, then, all I need to do is control Zack. Sounds simple.”

The contact was about to say something but trailed off. Corson seized the opening.

“What is your angle here? Why contact us after Lambda has evaded us, but not before? What are you trying to do?” Corson asked rigidly.

A few seconds passed with no reply.

“You need not worry of my plans. I simply wish to see what Lambda can do. You would be wise to not threaten the boy though. Who knows what a scared child will do when he is backed into a corner while holding a gun.” The contact’s words were grim.

Corson stuck up his chin. “I will handle the situation. It isn’t your
concern
.”

“For now it isn’t. You would be wise to understand that.”

The screen went black and quickly was replaced with the image from before. The room felt hollow as Corson rolled over the conversation in his head.

“Did you get that, Nerine?”

The small video window appeared on the large screen before Corson with the energetic face of Nerine.

“Of course. The person was using a complex code to hide their location, but with time, I should be able to pinpoint where it came from. Perhaps then we can get a lead on this arrogant jerk.”

Corson chuckled. “See to it that it is done in a timely manner. I need results if I’m to make any progress in that area.”

Nerine gave a salute while winking playfully. “Understood, the Diamond Lilly is on the scene.”

The window cut out seconds later, leaving Corson to mull over his thoughts once more. He then put a hand to his mask, drumming it with his fingers.

“In time, all will be as I see. Corson the Black God can’t, and will not, fail.”

*
      
*
      
*

[January 6th - Cyber Network, Private Server 23D11 - Day]

Cecilia sat completely dumbstruck. Over the last twenty minutes or so, Zack had explained his situation in stunning detail. It sounded unreal to the point of pure fiction. However, she couldn’t shake the gravity of his tone as he spoke. Stigma wanted her, as a way to get to Zack who had Lambda. Despite being told all this, it still put her in position where she had to make a very difficult choice.

“I’m not canceling the concert,” Cecilia stated bluntly.

Zack nearly fell over. “Did you not hear a word I just said!?” he shouted, regaining his sense of balance once more.

Zack reeled on the inside. He really had hoped Cecilia would get onboard when he told her the whole truth. Now, he was starting to lose his patience.

Cecilia folded her arms and pursed her lips. “It’s not like we are in the physical world. Here they can’t kidnap me.”

Zack reeled on the
outside
now. “Don’t you get it!? They will hack your Avatar and account. When they do that, they will be able to find your location. They will come and get you, wherever your agency has your body held up!”

This angered Cecilia. Right now, she couldn’t help but feel pent up as Zack tried to make her understand. The more he tried, the less she wanted to hear it.

“How do you expect them to be able to get to me during the concert? There are countless AI programs and security forces set up for my concert. You expect that Stigma is going to be able to get through all of that?” Cecilia shot back heatedly.

Zack groaned. “Stigma is notorious for causing chaos in order to fulfill their goal. What makes you think a little security is going to deter them?” Zack shot back strongly.

Cecilia didn’t want to hear this anymore. She took to standing and glared at Zack. “I’m doing this concert no matter what! Even if the world explodes or our parents don’t show up, I don’t care . . . I’m doing it!”

Zack was a little taken aback. The fresh tears forming on the corner of Cecilia’s eyes told him that she was far too emotional and stubborn to be persuaded at this point.

Zack exhaled heavily, shaking his head. His temples were throbbing with frustration.
      
“This is ridiculous,” he groaned. “Why are you being so selfish right now?”

Cecilia didn’t know the answer. There was something about the whole situation and the girl named Lambda that she didn’t like. It reminded her of a time that she couldn’t stand to look at her brother. Back then, something to do with AI units took place. She didn’t like the way Zack looked and moped around the house then. She didn’t want that event to repeat.

Cecilia looked to Zack and then to the girl standing behind him. “Why are you with
her
?”

Zack’s face twitched. For some reason, he found Cecilia’s word choice rude.

“Her name is Lambda. Try to at least manage that,” Zack said with a little force.

Cecilia heard Zack’s warning. She decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to test his patience given the subject at the moment.

“What do
you
plan to do if Stigma shows up, anyway? You’ll probably just get in the way of the
real
security.” She had a bit of sass weighing on her words.

Zack ignored the attitude. “Your staff security isn’t aware of Stigma appearing at this event, whereas I am. If I were to inform your staff of this, they would immediately cancel the event given Stigma’s reputation. They wouldn’t want to risk it since they aren’t stupid.”

Cecilia turned her head away from Zack as she puffed out her cheeks. “That or they will think you’re just a crazed fan.”

“More like concerned and worried older brother.”

Cecilia stuck up her nose. “They won’t see it like that, I’m sure.”

Lambda broke into the conversation. “Lambda would like to confirm something.”

Cecilia looked at Lambda with scorn. Zack found this alarming, as just moments before, she was asking Lambda to be part of her dancers and allow her to copy the outfit she had on to her Avatar and use it for her back-up dancers too. That, of course, was before Zack brought her up to speed. Now, she just seemed to think of Lambda as another enemy of sorts. This confused Zack; he didn’t understand his sister sometimes.

“Go ahead, Lambda,” Zack said, sounding tired.

Lambda nodded. “This event is to begin at five o’clock Eastern Standard Time correct?”

“Yeah . . . so?” Zack replied almost bored.

Cecilia’s eyes grew wide as her mouth sat slightly agape.

Not knowing the cause, Lambda stated her observation. “Lambda would like to note that your blood relative’s heart rate has increased alarmingly,” she said as she turned to Zack.

Zack caught on quickly. Sheepishly, he let out a small laugh. “What is the time, Lambda?”

“4:37 pm EST.”

It was almost comedic how casually she stated it.