His son had been asking him lately about his job, and what he did for a living. Trying to explain to a seven-year-old that you run the Cybernetic program at MIT was no easy task, even though his son had shown immense aptitude in his school studies. They had even brought Daniel and his wife in recently for a parent-teacher conference, which he was sure would be about how his son was being bullied but turned out to be pleasantly surprised to find out they wanted to skip him up a couple of grades and put him in advanced classes. “He’s just not being challenged enough, he finishes his work well before the other kids, and I have nothing left to teach him for this year. He’s very bright, you two should be proud,” the teacher had told them.
But Daniel wasn’t so sure about the idea, his wife was beyond ecstatic about it. He knew all too well about being skipped up in grades and the social repercussions of such things.
His son wound his arm around like he was pitching a softball and Daniel let out a laugh as the ball flew into his glove with stinging force.
“Wow, great arm, Son, keep that up and you’ll be playing in the majors in no time!” Daniel told him.
“I want to be like you when I grow up, Dad. I want to create an army of robots to do my bidding, possibly take over the world,” young Zeek said.
“I’m sure you will…”
Daniel caught the ball from his son but didn’t throw it back, he saw a black hover car driving toward the house from down the street. “Zeek, I’m going to need you to go back in the house now, for me, sport.”
“But why? Aren’t we having fun?”
“Please, we’ll play later, right now I have to talk to someone.” Daniel pointed at the house.
“Fine,” Zeek said with resignation. He took the ball and ran up the steps into the pod house where he shouted ‘Mom’ at the top of his lungs.
The long black hover car pulled to a stop in front of Daniel’s house. Walking through the white picket fence, he stared at the back passenger window, it was tinted, so he saw his own face in the reflection. A knot formed in his stomach, and his body tensed with uncertainty.
The window rolled down and he saw a face he recognized, a Chinese man in his late twenties with dark hair, wearing a suit and tie.
“Jason?” Daniel asked the man.
Jason Wong and he were roommates in college, good friends who slowly drifted apart over the years. He was surprised to see him here in front of his house, unannounced.
“Star…” Jason seemed to purr, “why don’t you step inside, I have a proposal for you?”
Daniel nodded and got into the hover car. He sat there waiting for Jason to speak, a million different questions running through his mind. He knew Jason was in the prison sector, so he didn’t know what he could possibly want with him.
“How’s the family, Daniel? Zeek looks like he’s getting bigger,” Jason asked finally, breaking the ice.
“Family is fine, we just got this new house in the spring. What’s this all about, Jason?” he said, a line forming on his brow.
“It’s a nice house; I’m happy for you; you have a beautiful family, a great job, everything fell into place for you. Which doesn’t surprise me, considering how brilliant you are.”
“Enough of the flattery, cut to the chase, Wong.”
“I’m kicking around an idea upstairs with the big boys in government about a new prison. I know that’s not your area of expertise, but hear me out. I want to set up an automated prison on the moon, where an AI would run everything, and guards and staff would be minimal. It would be next to impossible for the inmates to escape, and if the experiment didn’t work, we could just blow the thing up. Tell the public something about an oxygen leak and whatnot. What do you say, do you want to work on an AI that could run a prison for me?” Jason asked, raising his eyebrows.
Daniel rested his hand on his chin, lost in thought. “Fascinating, the timing couldn’t be better, honestly. I’ve been working on a very special AI lately. He’s a security model that I was planning on using for various facilities on Earth, of course. For instance, hospitals, police stations, banks, you name it. I’ve been working on it for years now.”
Jason Wong’s eyes lit up and he asked, “What’s the name of this project you’ve been working on?”
“I call him Orb.”
Ch. 18: Lisa
Zeek was gripping the bars of the holding cell he was in; he couldn’t believe how ancient it felt. Metal bars? Who uses metal bars like this anymore, what are we in some old western? he pondered. Nos and Bulldozer were sitting on a bench behind him, they looked deflated to him when he peered over his shoulder. Nos had his head in his hands and Bulldozer was slumped in a heap with his head leaning against the corner of the wall. They knew like he did that no knight in shining armor was coming through the front door on a horse demanding their release. They were going to the moon. How is this legal? How did they get authorization to build such a place?
He overheard shouting and was pulled from his thoughts.
“My client has rights; you can’t just take him away without a trial! That’s in the sixth amendment for God’s sake! You’re telling me he did something so heinous you’re able to supersede his constitutional rights?” the man with a briefcase and a three-piece suit was shouting.
The uniformed cop who had his hand on his chest replied, “Whoa there, take it easy. I’m just a traffic cop, this is way above my paygrade, you’re yelling at the wrong guy here. All we’re doing is holding the guy till someone from high up comes to get him and his friends and take them in a van. There’s literally nothing I can do. You need to settle down.”
“I’m not going to settle down. He has a right to an attorney! He has a right to a trial, this is outrageous.” Zeek was smiling, this was exactly the kind of thing he wanted to hear. Maybe he was wrong about the knight in armor, this guy’s armor was a three-piece suit.
“Buddy, you gotta cool it. I’m gonna get you the right person, but I want you to take a seat over there for me,” the cop said pointing at a nearby wooden bench against a wall.
“I’ll have a seat, but I want you to let this woman through. She’s going to go talk to him. You can at least do that. I want to talk to someone right now, who can get me answers!” the lawyer was shouting.
The cop backed a little away from the guy and gestured at the bench. “I really can’t let anyone—”
The lawyer’s eyes went as hard as the steel bars Zeek clung to. “You’re going to go get the person in charge here, and you’re going to look the other way while this woman walks over to that cell. And if you don’t, there’s going to be all kinds of class action suits being filed by my firm.” He looked down at the cop’s name tag. “O’Reilly is it? I’ve got friends at the mayor’s office; you’ll be the first name on the class action…”
The cop put his hand on the lawyer’s shoulder. “Alright, alright, no need to get crazy. I’m gonna go get my sergeant and if this young woman happens to slip by…I didn’t see a thing. You got five minutes.”
The lawyer smiled. “That’s better, I’m going to have a seat over here and wait while you get your sergeant, take your time, O’Reilly.”
The cop turned on his heels shaking his head and muttering, “Lawyers, fuckin’ lawyers.”
“Go,” he said to Lisa. “You’ve got five minutes; I want you to bring him my card. And tell him I’m going to do everything I can.” He pushed her toward the cell.
Lisa walked hesitant at first, but when she saw Zeek’s face, she almost broke out into a run.
“Zeek, oh my God, what have you gotten yourself mixed up in?” International Cyberterrorism?” There were tears in her eyes. She placed her hand over his, and he reached out of the bars to take it.
With a somber look he said, “The charges are bullshit, this guy, Tyr4nt, set me up. He took my…he took someone I care about hostage! What was I supposed to do, just walk away? No, this was not my fault.”
“This drug addiction, Zeek, don’t you see what it’s doin
g? I’ve missed you so much, these months without you have been hard, but you know what? I wouldn’t take them back, because as much as I care about you, I care more about you being the old Zeek. The Zeek I loved, sober Zeek. I don’t know who you are anymore, you’re talking about hackers and kidnapping? And these two men…” She took her hand away.
“I know this doesn’t look good, and you’re right, I’ve gotten mixed up with the wrong people, but I’m going straight. Before all this, I was planning to check myself into rehab…it’s just been a whirlwind ever since I won Sydney’s Underground Tournament.” He looked away and then looked back into her eyes. Reaching out his hand, he continued, “I’ve missed you so much, I would give anything to go back and fix things. There’s no one who can hold a place in my heart the way you do. I can’t live without you.”
“What about Ash?” Nos said as he limped over to them and took Zeek’s shoulder for support. “And where is Joey for that matter? Why the hell is he not here instead of me? Why are we in jail right now if you didn’t care about Ash?”
Zeek’s eyes narrowed. “Of course I care about Ash, Nos. I wouldn’t have done all this if I didn’t care about her. She was right for me at the time, but she isn’t the one. Not like Lisa…” he trailed off and bit his lip.
“Ash? Who is she?” she asked, indicating to Nos. “And who is this?”
“I’m the guy who went traipsing through Boston looking for his girlfriend while a maniac tried to blow our heads off with a plasma rifle and then tried to slice my dick off.” Nos pointed to the bandage that was wrapped around his upper thigh, with red stains seeping through.
Lisa looked up at Zeek.
“He’s a friend…” he replied and turned to Nos. “You’re not helping. As far as Joey is concerned, he cut ties with me when he found out I was involved with you. And that’s what I meant when I dragged you into all of this; Ash is the only one who’s stuck with me through thick and thin. I care about her…”
Lisa placed her hands on her face, her body was rocking from the sobs. Zeek felt hot tears roll down his face, he wiped at his face and sniffed. “I’m sorry, Zeek, but I think there’s no way for us to help you. Here.” She handed him the card from the lawyer and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
“Lisa, will you wait for me? I need you; I’m going to email you every day. I’m going to join the AA program in prison. The next time you see me, I’ll be the old me. I want to change; I want to do it for you. There’s nothing in this world more important to me than you.”
Her lips went into a line. “See that’s the thing, I know you love me, I never had a doubt about that, but you have to want to get sober for yourself, Zeek. Not for me, but for you.” She pointed a finger at him.
“Excuse me, ma’am, we gotta take him to the van, they’re waiting for them outside,” a police officer said by her side.
Suddenly the reality of the situation seemed to hit both of them that they would not see each for a long time.
“Okay, you write me every day, promise?” she asked, tears welling in her eyes again. “And Zeek.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to do whatever it takes to get you out of there. You understand? I don’t care if I have to fly to the moon myself and break you out. I’m not going to let them take you away.”
She went to take his hand when the officer pushed her back. “OK, miss, we need you to go back and wait over there with the lawyer,” he said, and another cop took her by the elbow and started to lead her away.
“I promise!” Zeek shouted at her, he wiped his face, and took a deep breath as the officer began unlocking the holding cell.
Ch. 19: Moon Base One
His feet shuffled down the hallway. I feel lighter, this artificial gravity is going to take some getting used to, but I have a feeling that’ll be the least of my worries, he thought. He stumbled a bit tripping over his own feet and leaned up against the wall trying to balance himself, it was no easy feat with the wide electronic cuffs around his wrist. The press of a baton on the back of his shoulder made him raise his head.
“Keep it movin’, four eyes, we don’t want to have to show you what these things can do on your first day here. We at least like to let you get your stuff to your bunk before we start zappin’ you,” the guard said with a laugh.
A man in a white robe came up to help Zeek to his feet. “My son, have you heard the good word? Here, take this, join us on Friday, we’ll be holding a meeting in the chapel. I think you’ll want to hear what we have to say, there’s—”
“Hey!” the guard shouted at the man. “Get the hell out of here! Save that shit for the yard, freak.”
Zeek heard the hum of the baton and saw a blue light fill the hallway. The man let go of his arm and scurried off down the way he’d come. The guard lowered the baton and the light faded. “Come on, you’re right up here.”
Zeek distractedly looked at the flyer the man had given him, but by the time his brain read the words, he was pushed inside a cell.
A muscular man with tattoos running up and down his arms stood next to the bunks with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The tattoos were of little devils with pitchforks, naked women, and various predatory animals, wolves, bears, and spiders. “Smoke?”
“Yes, oh man, you have no idea.” Zeek reached out his hand.
The Cro-Magnon pulled back the cigarette and said, “First, let’s go over some rules. You’re one of Cordoné’s guys, so you’re not gonna have to worry about much. No one’s gonna fuck with you, plus with me as your roommate brings you certain protection. Still, you’re gonna have to learn the rules. What’s this?” He took the flyer from Zeek’s hands. He rolled his eyes as he saw what it said. “Oh no, tell me you’re not one of them?”
“One of what? Who are they? You’re talking about the robed guy? Was he trying to proselytize to me about Jesus?” Zeek said, his face twisted into a frown.
His new cellmate burst into laughter. “No, no, those are the Xinites. They worship the Xon;
damn, you’re funny. What’s your name?”
“Zeek the Geek, at your service,” he replied, holding out his hand.
“I’m Drogg, Zeek the Geek, huh? You got this Clark Kent thing goin’ on,” he said, taking Zeek’s hand. “So yeah, don’t get caught up with those Xinites. They’re out there, man. We got a Xon, he’s got this crazy thing on his head to suppress his powers, all the guards are freaked out by him. Don’t get caught up in that shit, man, tell them to fuck off next time they try to get you to come to their cult meeting. You don’t wanna get on the robot’s bad side, and he hates the alien and his cult followers.”
“Alien, robot?”
Drogg clapped his hands together. “Alright, so rules, there’s a bunch you’re going to need to learn and fast so you don’t get stabbed, but house rules first. The number one rule is this is my bunk.” He patted the top bunk with his hand. “And that’s yours. Next, no dealin’ in here. You keep that shit on the yard or wherever else, just not here. Got it?”
“Got it,” Zeek said, “speaking of dealin’, you wouldn’t happen to have any Blue?”
Drogg ran a hand down his face. “You’re one of them, I knew it; you look too nerdy to be in here. Great, I get roomed with another junkie, just my luck. I don’t have any, but don’t you worry, Cordoné will keep you supplied I’m sure…he’ll probably have you deal for him. Any other request, your highness?”
“Yeah, when’s the next shuttle coming, the transport shuttle?”
“I’m not sure, usually every six months or so, why?”
“I’ve got a plan to get us out of here,” Zeek said and set his stuff down on the lower bunk and held out his hand.
Drogg slapped his leg as he laughed. “You really are a funny motherfucker. What?”
“Smoke? I listened to the rules, now hand me one of those, it’s been a long trip. Six months, huh?”
Drogg handed him a cigarette, his eyebrows knitting together. “You’re serious? You think
you can escape this place? Look out there, there’s nowhere to go; Orb controls this place. You’re stuck here like the rest of us; better get nice and comfortable, ain’t nobody goin’ nowhere, Zeek the Geek.”
“Who’s Orb?”
“More like, what is Orb…he’s the AI that controls this place. How are you going to escape, you don’t even know which way to take a piss.” Drogg shook his head.
Zeek lit the cigarette and walked over to their tiny port window to gaze at the endless stars. “I’m not staying here, I’m going to do whatever it takes to get home, even if I have to blow a hole in this wall and fly home in a damn space suit.”
“You damn junkies and your crazy ideas, you’re not listening, there’s no way out of here. The robot controls this place, not even the guards—”
“There’s a network that the AI uses to control the prison? Yes, now it makes sense. We just need, yes…” Zeek trailed off, and Drogg just stared at him.
“Network? I have no idea, I know if the robot wants to lock shit down, it gets locked down; he wants to cut off the lights, out they go.” He pointed to a camera in the corner. “He’s watching you right now analyzing every move you make, you’re not gonna be able to cough without him knowing.”
Zeek looked up at the tiny black sphere in the corner. “Well, that’s going to make things very difficult…can he hear us?”
“I don’t know, I don’t think he listens so much as watches. I think he’s running so many things at once that listening isn’t really his top priority,” Drogg replied with a shrug.
* * * * *
“Serena, come in, come in. I have something I want you to look at,” Orb said as Dr. Rotellen entered his orb-like office with tons of monitors.
Moon Base One: Tyr4nt: A Prequel Story Page 9
