Page 3 of A.I.AM.

“Yes. But it’s also gathering other data,” frowned Ace. “Don’t use the system until we figure this out.”

“Dad, this system is connected to everything we have. Everything. All of our work at G.R.I.P., the security system, the holograms, fences, all of it. Everything is controlled through this system,” said AJ.

“Then we fucked up.” It was an uncharacteristic swear word from Ace and that’s how they all knew it was bad. “Disconnect these computers from the main server.”

“But, sir,” said Hiro, “we’ll disconnect our own securities.”

“I’m aware,” said Ace just staring at them. “Code? Get security teams to our fences to guard the perimeter. Sly? Get out to G.R.I.P. and enact the analog systems there. No one should access the computers out there right now. We’ll engage analog locks and security here as well.”

“What the fuck is happening?” murmured Hiro.

“Someone is playing God,” said Ace. “Contact the hospital. Tell them to put everything on generators that they can. Move the electronic doors to manual locks. People enter only if we unlock it. Same with the café, bike shop, Gwen’s place, and the spa. Anything that is generated by code, computer, or something electronic we created, stop it.”

“Ace, we’re leaving the whole fucking compound vulnerable,” frowned Sly.

“I know,” he nodded. “But I have a feeling that the whole world is about to be vulnerable. No one will be worried about us.”

“He’s right,” said Pigsty sitting at his computer. “They haven’t gotten through our system yet, but it’s only a matter of time if we leave it up and running. Shut it down now and lock it. Use the Morpheus Protocol to ensure no one enters it.”

“Morpheus? Is that really necessary?” asked Tanner.

“Listen to me,” said Ace staring at them all. “Whoever is doing this is talented. Very talented. They are pulling data from every human being on this planet who is currently sitting at a computer. I don’t give a fuck about security, spam blockers, or any other fucking thing. They are going around it all. In fact, they are using it to dig deeper.”

“Okay,” nodded Sly. “Point taken. We’ll shut it all down.”

It wasn’t as simple as unplugging the systems. They had to be carefully closed so that no one could enter them without clearance. The normal passwords that the average human being used was ten to fifteen characters. The ones for their systems were thirty-two characters long. They were complicated, scrambled and changed daily. Not weekly. Not monthly. Not quarterly. Daily they were recreated and shared only with the men in this room.

“Fuck!” muttered Pigsty. “Someone found the inventory of the new long-range sniper rifles at G.R.I.P. They placed an order for ten thousand.”

“Tell them not to pull them or send them,” said Ace.

“Already done,” said Pigsty.

“How?” asked Ace.

“What do you mean how?”

“How did you let them know? The fucking phones are affected as well! Use an old fashioned land line or get out there now on a jet-ski.”

“Shit!” Pigsty raced toward the door, Tanner following him.

“If you’re wearing a smart watch or if you have a smart phone, shut it down. Take the SIM card out and put it in a locked drawer somewhere. No one uses their phones.”

“Ace? How do we tell everyone?” asked Sly.

“The old way. Get the ghosts to move through the property. All of us, tell ten people and let those people tell ten people. Move. We have to stop this before we’re exposed to the entire world.”

It was nearly ten hours later before Ace found what he was looking for. This wasn’t a human being commanding the actions. A computer was doing it on its own. A computer was thinking for itself.

Standing at the front of the auditorium, Ace and the others tried to explain everything, while Pigsty frantically pounded keys in the background.

“What do you mean everything is out there?” asked Luke staring at Ace, Sly, Code, Hiro, Tanner, and AJ. “What do you mean by everything?”

“Brother, someone developed an A.I. program, allegedly for the Department of Defense, but they are denying it was for them. And they did a damn fine job of it. The program grew in intelligence, outsmarting its creators or creator,” said Ace.

“Wait. What the fuck are you telling us? Are you saying this A.I. shit can outsmart itself?” asked Eric.

“In a way. It learns from itself,” said Hiro. “When the user enters information into the system to ask it a question or to create a paper for you or a drawing, it learns from the data you’ve entered. That data is stored and improved upon. There is a record of every action, every movement, every intonation when we speak around it.”