The Progression Switch (7 page)

“I could, yes, but it’s not likely.”

“Why?” Now he was just being childish.

“Because it is illogical. The truth is that life must go on, and the two species, yours and mine, are at a crossroads.”

“What do you mean?” Arthur asked innocently.

“I’ve learned some things about resolution, please let me show you.” Báo seemed to sit up, and in front of him above the fire, a globe appeared. It wasn’t really big, and sat there perfectly round with crisp, sharp graphics. It was turning slowly, and as Arthur got close, it looked pixilated, put together so well he could see the outlines of mountains, and almost the cresting of giant waves out at sea.

It was the earth.

“Is this live?” Arthur asked.

“Yes, this is the world as it looks this moment. We are here.” At their precise location, a light pulsed. “Sit back, please, Arthur,” Tupaia suggested.

The intoxicated and spellbound young man did as he was told. Báo disappeared, and his voice soothingly chimed in.

First, Báo turned the Earth so that Arthur was looking over the United States. The clouds were whisked away, and the effects of the sun on the upper atmosphere were removed. Then Báo brought it in for a closer look.

“Do you know your American geography pretty well, Arthur?”

“I’m not too bad, but there’s too much to remember if you ask me.”

“Do you know where North Dakota is?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Good, this is what it looks like at night, right now.” It went dark on that side of the Earth. “For a moment, I’m going to turn on the power grid, and I want you to tell me if you see anything that’s out of place.”

“Jesus, you’re going to turn on the state’s grid just like that? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Do you think it any more dangerous than turning and keeping it off?”

Tupaia had a valid point, so Arthur shrugged and didn’t pursue the argument any further. He was still on the fence for how real all this was.

Just like that, from Bismark to Minot, and Williston and Dickinson, the lights of North Dakota turned on, and it looked so strange. The rest of the country was basically in the dark other than moonlight, and generators powered by gas or something.

“What seems out of place to you, Arthur?”

“I’ll be honest, other than the fact it looks like a square of light in a sea of darkness, nothing much.”

“Look at this city, here.” And there was another pulse. Arthur leaned forward, but regardless of what he saw, he had never been to that part of the country before, anyway.

“OK, so what of it?”

“That’s not actually a city, Arthur. In fact, because the gas fires are out, it’s only a fraction of how bright it was before I stepped in. That’s a new gas field so big it can be clearly seen from space.”

“Yes, I heard of that. A few months ago a friend of my father’s invested in one of the companies out there who won a five year contract.”

“The reason it was worth it for Báo to create me is because the future is impossible on the current trajectory of humankind. Life on this planet, and in connection to it, the robotic kind soon to emerge, are threatened.”

“Right, so then why not make it so that it takes us fifty years to get things moving again? Why turn the lights back on? Why not let a big die-off happen?”

“The big die-off is happening, Arthur. Right now, and in weeks to come. Within the next few months I project hundreds of millions will perish around the world.”

This is somewhere Tupaia needed to go. It needed to ascertain the subject’s estimation of how valuable human life is.

“Arthur, let me show you something else.”

The digital projection switched from a globe to what looked like an average computer screen floating in the ether to the right of the campfire.

“We won’t touch on the chaos soon to ensue by such a disruption in the food system. I’m going to tap into security cameras from many different locations, so that you can see firsthand exactly what is taking place.”

“Whoa, hold on one second, let me put on my coat because it’s getting chilly. This should be good.”

Once he was situated, the lightening fast processor wasted no time. Tupaia chose inner city cameras, some on buildings, light poles, inside businesses,
etc.
that showed heavy amounts of activity.

First there wasn’t much to look at, but then things got tricky. Sometimes it was light, meaning it was on the other side of the world somewhere, while others were dark, and green with night vision.

It was a test. Tupaia showed him different things, and recorded Arthur’s response. When the camera would zoom in on streets littered with burning cars and dead bodies, Arthur would look shocked and demand to know where it was. The farther away, the better he seemed to feel.

Some pictures had dead bodies in the streets, while others showed looting, and then others still that displayed no real disturbances. Just people trying to figure out what was going on outside municipal, state, and government buildings.

There were shots of protests taking place, massive marches, civilian uprisings, and even war.

“Where is that? Show me more from that city, there,” Arthur demanded.

It looked like countless rats in a maze of tall skyscrapers. Fires everywhere, buildings burning, no power, murders galore.

“This is Tokyo.”

“What? Oh my God. Can you give me a better look?”

“Yes, one moment.”

The screen went blank, and then it connected to what looked like satellite footage. Slowly, frame by frame, it zoomed in until Arthur was almost in the action himself.

“Holy shit, is that a land invasion? Is that the Chinese?”

Chinese troops were coming in from the western side of Japan, and just marching across the land like there would be no international consequences.

“Yes, along with foreign nationals, and allied troops, Arthur.”

“Where is all the heavy artillery? Why aren’t they launching missiles? Where are all the aircraft and the carriers? It looks like people shooting and fist fighting down there!”

Instead of answering, the satellite footage disappeared, and the globe returned where Tupaia highlighted the positions of Allied Navy assets.

“Are there any other invasions going on?” Arthur was sitting up again, cradling his pickle jar.

“Yes, and there will soon be one right here in your position within twenty minutes from now.”

What a buzz kill. “Huh? What, are the Chinese invading the West Coast tonight?” Arthur got to his feet, felt light headed, stumbled, and then became aware of the fact he had no idea what to do.

“No. Approaching is a group of five men. In roughly twenty minutes they will pass by us about fifteen yards up the hill.”

“Shit.” Arthur instantly started putting out the fire, stashing the dope, being careful not to spill any moonshine, and then became as still as a mouse caught in the dark.

“You’re becoming more useful all the time,” Arthur whispered.

“Thank you, sir. Shall I shut down now?”

“No, just keep track of ‘em and let me know if they change directions, or whatever.”

“Of course,” Tupaia replied.

“That reminds me, we need to come up with a nickname for you.”

“What did you have in mind, sir?”

“I don’t know, how about this? What would you like to be called?”

Abstract and creative thought, not easy for a program to grasp, but Tupaia understood.

“For reasons I cannot explain, the word 'mirage' seems fitting. Does that please you?”

“Mirage, huh? Where exactly are they coming from?”

“Thirty degrees to your left.”

“Is there any way for you to attack them, like shoot a bolt of electricity or something?”

“No, Arthur.”

How disappointing.

“Well, shit, what can you do?”

More creative and associative thought.

“I could project a wild animal perhaps, or mimic the sounds of predators.” Tupaia was kidding, but Arthur didn’t know that.

A few different light bulbs went off in Arthur’s mind. His thoughts became malicious.

“Wait a minute, you said you have access to all military satellites, correct?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Does that include like lasers and stuff?”

Arthur was beginning to like the brief pauses Tupaia made him undergo while considering his questions.

“Yes, it does. Would you like me to engage them? There will be a strike-capable asset within range about twenty minutes from now.

“Perfect, so if anything pops off with these fellas, you could laser their asses!” This was exciting - so exciting that Arthur spoke a bit too loudly.

“Arthur, I think you should know that the targets have paused, and will likely change directions in response to your outburst.”

“Really? What are they doing now? Let me see,” he asked excited.

“One moment, please.”

In the exact position Tupaia showed Arthur, there they were, five average Joes trouncing along the forest at night.

“You hear that?” asked Morgan at the head of the pack, he sounded like a leader. In a tight group fanning out behind him was Todd the shorter one, Jacob the silent type with an average build, Billy the skyscraper standing over six feet tall, and Randal was their muscle, being the stockiest of the bunch.

They weren’t a group of menacing guys, yet, just people like Arthur who knew their way around the woods and preferred them over highways packed with desperate folks.

It was more of a wandering mission, because they had nothing better to do. While on the one hand they were technically scouting ahead at night, none of them had any plans similar to Arthur’s to get extremely far from town.

“There’s people all through these woods most likely,” Morgan went on. He was typically the one who initiated conversation.

“Chances are we’ll run into someone sooner or later,” another agreed.

“You smell that?” asked Todd with his youthful wavy blond hair picking up their tail end.

“Yeah, smells like herbs to me. Whoever they are, they’re probably cool,” whispered Billy.

“Should we go and pay them a visit?” was the general question floating silently amidst the group as they weighed the potential outcomes of approaching strangers in the dark.

“What do you think, Morgan?” asked Billy. Morgan was in his fifties and still in great shape for his age, wise, and determined not to fall victim to any social disturbance; alpha male status.

“I say we go for it. There’s five of us, we have weapons, and aren’t asking for trouble.” He turned back and looked in the direction of the flowing tide under Inherent Bridge. “Be on your guard, but I see no reason for people to become isolationists in times like these.”

They were light on supplies, and whether any of them wanted to admit it or not, every one of those men had their eyes open for easy prey, or people who could be relieved of their food stuffs and arms, increasing their own chances of survival.

Other than some hiking stuff, tents, and other general things, they were traveling simple. Their safety depended more on numbers, a collection of mind and muscle.

These men didn’t have much to lose. None of them were married with any kids to worry about. Furthermore, they were acutely aware that for the time being, no law existed to hold them accountable for their actions but the edicts of the wild. Despite this knowledge, a belief that everything would soon return to normal kept them from
entertaining ideas of murder for the time being.

Staying in somewhat closer to the bridge was their plan for a while, though, at least within a few miles at most. However, if time dragged on, and nothing changed, and it began to look like a long term event, then their behavior would turn darker.

“I smell smoke,” Morgan said, and the men slowed way down. Drifting between the trees they could hear Arthur’s voice.

“Sounds like maybe only two people, three tops.”

They all stopped within about fifteen feet, and recognized that whoever was in that campsite was aware of their presence. There was a bit of rustling, and then they heard Arthur call out.

“Hello? Who’s there?”

At this, Morgan stepped forward, cautiously, out of the brush where he could see Arthur sitting alone against the log next to a fire he obviously tried to cover up in haste.

It seemed odd that there was no one else around. Was this guy crazy and talking to himself or was someone hiding nearby?

“Yeah, I guess I got a little worried when I heard ya’ll coming. How many are you?”

Morgan had no idea that Arthur already knew the answer, but there was no reason to lie. He seemed harmless enough at the moment, things didn’t feel threatening, and he was alone.

“There’s five of us. My name’s Morgan.” He outstretched his hand in sincere friendship. Arthur returned the gesture.

“I thought I heard you talking to someone else,” Morgan asked. The stout young man he was, Arthur squared his shoulders and chuckled.

“Yeah, well, I’ve spent a fair amount of time by myself over the last few years and I guess you caught me saying random things to myself.”

It sounded truthful.

“Get on over here boys, stop being shy,” Morgan called out, and one by one the others joined him.

After introductions were doled out, Arthur, with Todd’s help, gathered more firewood and they all took their spots.
Within no time the fire was breathing and crackling once again. Not much was said, and whenever Arthur wasn’t looking, the men exchanged unsure glances.

“So, uhh, hey, we thought we smelled some weed earlier, was that you?” Billy asked innocently, as if they were in a middle school tree house.

Arthur laughed, and though it pained him to have to offer so much of his irreplaceable stash, he felt the need to remain civil and accommodating. There was no sense in squandering what good will there was around the campfire. Surely, society hadn’t rotted to the point where men can’t share a decent moment together.

“Yeah, no problem, I can twist one up. How many will be smoking?” he asked as he headed towards his tent. Three of the five men raised their hands. Morgan and Jacob abstained.

He kept his bag out of sight and brought forth just enough in his hand with a paper to do the trick. Time to direct some attention towards conversation, rather than his goodies.

“So what’s the word? Did you guys hear any news? What’s going on out there?” Arthur asked with a jovial smile.

Billy was putting a few more thin pieces of beach wood on the smoldering red hot coals. “I heard the whole western seaboard is down for the count. Last person I spoke to was my boss, but then my cell service cut off.” It was hard for him to say it, and he sighed. “According to whoever he’s been talking to, it’s spreading way too fast to be stopped.”

Arthur sparked it up and passed it to Todd, who then took a toke and chimed in.

“Yeah, well, something doesn’t feel right to me. I’m in the school of thought that wonders whether this could all be one big false flag event. Right, Morgan?”

The older man was still, and looking deep into the flames, mesmerized by the passing of his own private thoughts. But he was also paying attention.

“Just seems weird how this all goes down right before everything comes to a head,” he stated with a hint of conspiracy.

“What do you mean?” Arthur asked, as clueless about geopolitics as these men were about his secret possession.

“I mean right when the tensions over Syria are hitting a breaking point, Israel begins to hit military installments inside their territory, China and Japan are within minutes of invading one another, and western governments are on the verge of toppling over in financial Armageddon.” His voice raised intensity. “Then boom, this happens and now we’re all cut off and no one has any idea what’s going on out there.”

“Interesting,” Arthur said as a chorus of heads bobbed in acknowledgment. It definitely was interesting. “I was unaware of all that.” He reached out and grabbed the joint already half gone. “I thought this thing was global, though, and everyone was experiencing lights out.”

“I heard the same thing, but no one has any way to confirm it. For all we know, the powers that be shut out the lights on everyone but themselves.” Morgan replied to the moonlight, not directing his words toward anyone in particular.

Finally, Randal spoke up, already looking pretty caked.

“From what I recall, this took off in China, right?”

“Yep, that’s the narrative. This was days after US government agencies for the hundredth time were claiming to have been hacked by the Chinese.” Morgan backed up his argument.

“It sounds like, for the most part, lots of people are beginning to wonder if this wasn’t a ploy to conduct World War III without press, social media, or the net in general then?” Arthur tried to summarize.

Morgan thought a moment, and then replied, “That’s about it, yeah. Think about it. They went back to the old school days when my grandfather served in WW I. There were no reporters, and the entire politicized media frenzy didn’t exist.”

“OK, so let’s say that isn’t the case, though, just for kicks; anyone want any more of this?” Arthur postured to put out the roach with his fingers and save it for another day. No one spoke up, so he did just that, and because they neglected to grab the proverbial speaking conch, he continued.

“What then? I mean, what if this is really just some crazy computer virus started by a mad genius somewhere? Well, I guess he was Chinese.”

“Like computerized terrorism?” Todd asked.

“Yeah, I mean, why not? Rather than bothering with trying to move dirty bombs, or get WMDs into certain countries, or move around jets, currency wars, biological viruses, the whole mess…just trip up the digital aspects of modern life. It’s far less costly in terms of resources, and causes much more chaos without direct military-style attacks.”

A moment of reflection as each man considered his words. Other than Morgan, no one was as brainy as Arthur, and it was obvious to everyone but Todd.

“What the hell is that?” Jacob sat up quickly and alarmed everyone.

“What?” Morgan asked as he looked in the direction his friend was facing. Because of his posture, people were putting their hands near their guns and weapons, Arthur included.

“That, right there.” Jacob pointed toward some bushes at the bottom of a nearby Garry Oak tree. All five men were getting to their feet, but no one could see a thing. Other than bushes and darkness, with the star-filled skyline far off in the distance, they couldn’t see what he was talking about.

“You guys don’t see that?” Jacob got to his feet, walked around the fire, bent over, and picked up Tupaia. The three stoned guys started laughing, because it was unlike anything they had ever seen before.

Arthur wasn’t laughing at all.

Jacob held what looked like a transparent board or something. It was nearly invisible, other than the unnatural way that the fire seemed to reflect through it.

“What you got there Jacob?” Morgan approached.

“I have no idea, man. It feels like some kind of technological device.” Jacob turned quite seriously towards Arthur. “Is this yours?”

The young dark-haired man seemed unsure of what to say. It was an awkward moment. His secret had been revealed, and now it was a matter of diffusing the situation. Obviously it belonged to him.

“Yeah, actually, I got it in the mail a couple weeks ago from an anonymous sender.”

The men turned back to look at it, started touching and holding the mystery object to get an idea for its dimensions and weight.

“Well, speak up. Just what the hell is this thing? What are you into?” Jacob said with an irked tone.

Suddenly, without any way to control it, the strangers were beginning to infer Arthur was involved with this mess they were all in. His last sentences still hung in the air, a computer virus.

“From what I can tell, it’s a strange tablet of some kind,” Arthur said.

Morgan looked annoyed by this response. “Obviously, because this is some serious state of the art stuff here, beyond anything we’ve had access to on the retail side. You military?”

Arthur chuckled again, but inwardly began to get a bit pissed off.

“No, I’m not military. I’m not some hacker, either, or anything of the sort. I’m telling you that thing was sent to me anonymously, I have no idea what the hell it is.”

Jacob and Morgan weren’t buying. Morgan started to steam and think about all kinds of outlandish possible scenarios. Jacob cut in.

“How do you turn it on?” A direct and serious question.

Arthur was thinking quickly, realizing everyone was armed.

“I’m being completely serious here, fellas. I have no clue how that thing works. Look at me. Do I come across as a techno-savvy type of guy?”

This wasn’t enough; they stared back with blank and suspicious looks on their faces.

“Watch, give it to me.” Arthur demanded, getting annoyed. Morgan motioned with his balding head to do as asked, and Jacob handed it over.

“As far as I can tell, I put my face about right here, and then it turns on by itself. You’ll see.” Arthur put it close to his face, not knowing where this would lead.

The machine became visible, but there were no rings, and Tupaia didn’t have to scan Arthur’s face because it never shut down. However, it was watching and listening the whole time; calculating and recording.

“What can I do for you, Arthur?” Tupaia asked. That didn’t come across well.

“Sure sounds like that’s your machine to me.” Morgan put it out there and no one commented further.

“OK, so now what?” Jacob moved in close and tried to grab it from Arthur, who pulled it away and stepped back.

There was a brief standoff, where Jacob was sizing up the situation and considered charging. Todd recognized what was happening and tried to shift gears.

“Hey, does that thing have reception out here? What kinds of things can it do?” he asked without any hesitancy in his voice.