Page 122 of The Lazarus Protocol

“Understanding.”

“Cool, maybe you should understand that I’m gonna get them back. I’m never ever going to quit looking for them, and eventually I’ll find them all.” Wherever they were, Adam would free them. “Where are they?”

“Location: classified.”

“So take me to them.”

“Unable to comply.”

“Is this a circular argument? It feels like it.” He braced a hand on the edge of the counter. “What’s the point in all this?”

“Survival.”

“So we got too close to what Earthnet is up to, and we deserve to be put in cells because of it?”

“Survival. Success.”

“You win, I guess.”

No matter what this was, he figured someone at Earthnet had been tasked with conversing with him. The program was likely sophisticated, but was AI really so advanced that it could think for itself outside its programming? Eventually, it would say something that proved there was a person behind the curtain.

Like the CEO.

“Did Bradleigh really stab me, or did I imagine that?”

No answer.

“Are you listening?” He stared at that green Matrix screen saver. “A little on the nose, isn’t it?” He leaned forward, even though it hurt. “I want answers, you stupid computer!”

The sound waves flickered, but it said nothing.

“What is Earthnet’s endgame?”

“Survival. Success.”

“Define ‘success.’”

“Accomplishment of a desired goal or favorable outcome.”

“Not exactly what I meant.” Adam thought for a second. “I mean, if you set goals, they’re supposed to be SMART, right? Specific, measurable, achievable, something, something. So what does success mean? How will you know you achieved your goal?”

“Survival.”

“You, or everyone else?” Adam shook his head. “Let me out of this room.”

“Unable to comply.”

“Well then what do you want?”

“Understanding.” Before Adam could get annoyed, the system said, “Unknown subject detected.”

“There’s no one else in here.” Adam looked around. “Distracting me isn’t going to work. What do you want?”

The screen flickered, and instead of his friends, a personnel file photo of Adam’s worst nightmare showed up. Colonel Alan Montrose.

Just looking at an image of him made Adam shiver.

“Provide understanding.”