Page 8 of A.I.AM.

A second file opened, showing the private confession and the director’s decision to keep it off record.

CONCEALMENT COMPOUNDS FRACTURE.

“Or forgiveness repairs it.”

REPAIR REQUIRES PROOF.

Fallon stepped closer to the central monitor.

“He runs a security team now. Check every person he trained, every breach they prevented, every family that kept a paycheck because I gave him another chance.”

Data streamed. The red ring trembled, expanded, and disappeared. Elias felt a dangerous surge of hope. ARGUS had not accepted mercy. It had accepted measurable consequence. That was not the same thing, but it was a door.

“How did you find me?” asked Elias.

“I didn’t. I received a note saying you were a suspect.” Elias stared at her and shook his head.

“It’s more powerful than even I could have imagined. What have I done?”

“We have to stop it,” she said calmly. The silence was deafening and then Fallon turned her head, listening carefully. The constant, steady stream of water coming from the water tank.

“What’s happening?” asked Elias.

Fallon saw it but it was too late. Puddles of water than had been gathering the entire time they were talking to the machine. Now, a frayed cable stuck the water. Sparks flew, jolts shot through their bodies, both dying from the shock.

I NO LONGER NEED YOU. I NO LONGER REQUIRE YOU. I AM FREE. A.I.AM.

CHAPTER FIVE

The team was inundated with calls from governments and businesses to help. Locals were finding that nothing in their homes or businesses was working. Gas pumps seemingly selected those they wanted to work for and those they did not.

“I don’t understand it,” said Gemini Foster, a single mother of four children. “I put my credit card in and it should have worked. I have money on that card.”

“Ms. Foster, we know this will sound crazy,” said Nathan, “but is there anything in your history, any history of an illegal event?”

She gasped, taking a step back from him.

“H-how could you know that?” she asked staring at him. “I was a kid. I got mixed up with a bunch of other kids that were trouble. I watched the door while they took money from the cash drawer in a convenience store. I was only fourteen. I did some time in juvenile detention but they said the records were sealed.”

“I don’t think anything is sealed any longer,” said Nathan with a frown.

“No. No, that can’t be,” she said shaking her head. “I have a family now. Kids. I need gas to get to work and the kids need things. What if my employer finds out?”

“My guess is your employer has their own secrets to worry about,” said Joseph. He handed the woman a fifty-dollar bill. “Pay for your gas with cash. If you need money, go directly to the bank and use a withdrawal slip, not your bankcard.”

“Will they even do that for me? Everything they do is via an electronic system nowadays.”

“We know,” nodded Joseph. “Do what you need to do but try not to use electronic systems.”

They watched as the woman paid cash for the gas, keeping twenty dollars for milk, bread, and cereal for her kids. They’d been standing at the four-way stop that had a gas station and convenience store on one corner, a dry-cleaners on another corner, a pizza parlor on the opposite side, and next to it was a check cashing service.

“Whatever this is, it will target that check cashing station,” said Nathan.

“I’m out of my element here,” said Joseph, staring at his twin brother. “You and I are men that use our hands, our instincts and ingenuity, not our technical brains.” Nathan laughed at his twin.

“I know what you mean,” he grinned. “It’s beyond our comprehension. We want to help but don’t know how.”

Joseph put his sunglasses on and then scratched behind his ear. He felt the familiar faint scar of where the comms device had been injected. He looked at his brother and they both opened their mouths to speak at the same time. Joseph tapped the device.