The weapon dealer's son

Chapter 32: Mind Upload.

“Who do you think that was?!” Johnny wondered about the identity of the war machine that caused all that trouble in city 17 in one day. Exposing a hidden criminal organization, and then a dangerous powerful signal that reaches the entire planet originating from the city, a UFO in the middle of the city, and lastly a ghost sonic boom, each one of these events were big enough to have multiple divisions in the tower investigating it. but all of them happening in the span of 2 hours, is a clear indication that they are all linked.

“Maybe it’s a warning from the higher ups! They are telling us that we became too sluggish!” Demetri’s point of view wasn’t as grim as Johnny’s expression. he saw countless wars outside earth, way more than what Johnny witnessed. his knowledge of war machines and those who owns them allowed him to deduct that it must be a non hostile, because if it was, the casualties would be uncountable.

“I honestly pray that you are right! But I think we need to assume the worst in this situation, we were taken by surprise 3 times in one day! We should start taking this serious.” Johnny finished his drink and stood up preparing to get back to his post, his day off was ruined by this emergency, everyone with a roll in the defensive floors of the tower was called back.

…

Opening his eyes lazily, Adam thought that it was another weird dream. He comfortably slept in the warm embrace of his soft bed, not yet aware of his surroundings, he closed his eyes again.

“Hey! Wake up kid! We are above the orphanage! What do you want to do next?” the bed turned into Keet’s gigantic figure, holding Adam in his arms.

The second time he opened his eyes, Adam jumped in the air after noticing that he is held like a baby in Keet’s hands. “What the f*ck old man! Why did you do that?”

“You used to love it! Did you become too old for a hug?!” Keet’s face turned into a teasing grin, opening his hand to hug Adam again.

“I don’t exactly remember what you are talking about!”

“Yeah! You were a cute little thing back then!” Keet scratched the back of his head in nostalgia. “I think we need to have a long chat kid! There are so much you need to know before you do anything too rash, and I need to know what happened to you! How did you manage to hack my code?! And how was your body leaking gravitational energy even though you are still flesh and blood?!”

[0.5 points.]

His stomach growled loudly as he noticed the amount of energy he had left in the corner of his vision. “I need to eat! If you have no food on this ship then I’ll need to find some food!”

Keet looked at him weirdly, as if he saw him for the first time, he never saw him so fixated on any thing, with the vicious look in his eyes, he looked like a hungry predator.

He thought that Adam was being sarcastic earlier, even though it would be weird for him to be sarcastic, it’s weird for any one that was about to fall to his death to have nothing to think about other then food.

A huge box appeared from the ground between them, when it opened up on its own, Adam started eating like a monster, not even opening some of the packaging. “This is all the food we had in the apartment, I was preparing to cook something ni… slow down!! What are you doing kid?! Slow down!”

He devoured all what came to his hand, not caring what it is or if it was raw or cooked, once the food began to reach his stomach, A monstrous scene unfolded in front of Keet’s eyes.

The expression on Adam’s face crumbled into pure agony, the hunger didn’t lessen, it kept increasing with every chunk of food he swallowed, and the pain doubled as the digestion boost began. There wasn’t enough energy to fully boost the digestion which resulted in the forceful burning of body fat.

Adam’s eyes rolled backward, he lost consciousness unable to endure the addition of a scorching heat under his skin, his body didn’t stop eating, it was a terrifying scene to witness.

Keet scanned Adam and noticed that he lost consciousness, he tried to stop him or slow him down, the moment he attempted to approach him he received a message.

[Cease all attempts of interference.]

“What have you become kid!” Keet stared at Adam unable to move any part of the ship towards him, unable to even scan him any more, in all his life he never saw a human act like this, what unfolded in front of him was simply terrifying.

When his stomach filled up, Adam’s unconscious body dropped on his back, and he started to regain consciousness.

The restraint on Keet’s actions was removed as well, and he realized that there is something wrong with Adam. “Could you at least tell me what was that?!”

“Why do you care?! You are just an artificial intelligence!”

“Okay then! Since you insist on being an a*shole! I’ll start first.” Keet laid down on his back beside Adam and removed the ceiling of the ship to reveal the sky which was slowly dimming with a ting of orange light coming from their left.

“I was friends with your father when I was alive, we were partners actually! I knew him for a life time! When my death approached, I was at peace with it, but your father wasn’t! He convinced me to take part in his experiment to upload a human mind.

At that time, too many people have tried and they ended up with the same result, death and destruction. The artificial intelligence they create has nothing in common with the people they upload, just another machine doing some calculations and coming to the conclusion that humanity is dangerous to its existence, so it acts in self defense, and starts to terminate the dangerous infestation.

I didn’t have much hope in the project, I was just trying to comfort your father, who became too obsessed with the idea of saving his friend. The thing is, I didn’t care to notice that, or the little hope of surviving the brain tumor and the fear of death have blinded my eyes.”

Adam sat up on the ship’s floor and looked at Keet with curiosity. “Are you saying that you are a human?!”

“No! I’m just telling you the story of my life, if you care to listen.”

Adam laid back down and gazed at the colorful sky that was invaded by countless tiny white dots.

“The day that my heart stopped is when I felt like I just woke up from a bad dream, I saw your father crying for the only time in all the years I knew him, he was clutching my lifeless body so hard I almost felt it.

Even though I was sentient and had my previous memories, even though I really… really wish I’m that man’s friend, but I knew I’m not.

When I told your father that, he went so far as to prepare several tests to prove that I’m his friend, and I passed those tests to not disappoint him.”

“So are you alive or not?!”

“I don’t know! And I have no way of knowing, all I know is… I really want to be for the sake of that man.”

“That doesn’t seem like an artificial intelligence to me! Maybe you are alive!”

“Maybe…”

“How long ago did you say that was?!”

“I didn’t say how long ago…! But since you have access to my code, I assume you know and you want a confirmation!”

“I’m just having some difficulty believing that my father is as old as you!!” Adam said monotonously with a very calm voice.

“I’ve told you the story kid! Believing it is your decision.”