by Bekka Black
Why?
Elizabeth
Somebody maxed out every single credit card. He thinks it’s Victor
Henry
What did the money buy?
Elizabeth
Stuff at stores all over Flaam, where we were yesterday. There isn’t much in Flaam
Henry
How’s our boy holding up?
Elizabeth
Don’t know. He’s grounded in his cabin with no computer or phone. Or me.
Henry
I know how the poor boy feels
Elizabeth
Alphonse was furious. I thought he was going to kill him. He yelled so much that ship’s security came
Henry
U ok?
Elizabeth
It’s not me I’m worried about
Henry
Well, I worry about u. U ok?
Elizabeth
I’m fine, just worried about Victor. Can u help him?
Henry
I’ll see what I can track down. It’s identity theft. Clever to use Flaam. Clever to know u were even there
Elizabeth
Stop admiring this guy!!!
Henry
He’s really good. But why Victor?
Elizabeth
Do u hackers need a why?
Henry
Not for little stuff. :) But for this level of messing with someone, probably
Henry's Browser
October 29
Stores found near Flaam, Norway
Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval
October 29
10:51 AM
Victor
U there?
Henry
Thought u were kicked off high tech
Victor
Snuck into Sperm Donor’s cabin. Stole phone back
Henry
Low tech solution to a high tech problem
Victor
Sometimes that’s the only way. Did Elizabeth tell u what happened?
Henry
Yup. I looked it up. All transactions came from stores in Flaam u could have walked to
Victor
Really?!?
Henry
I mapped it. It looks like u
Victor
It wasn’t me
Henry
It looks like it was
Victor
But u believe me, right?
10:59 AM
RIGHT?!?
Henry
U’d do a better job of covering ur tracks
Victor
+ I would never do something like that
Henry
That too
Victor
Did u read my last chatbot chat?
Henry
Really creepy stuff. That hacker is a genius. And funny
Victor
Stop liking him. I’M ur friend, remember?
Henry
OK, I promise to hate him because my friend told me to. Happy?
Victor
NO!
Email from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval
October 29
11:11 AM
Dumb idea?
Henry,
Victor’s drawn me into his mess after all, hasn’t he?
I’ve been thinking about his theory that a single hacker took over his chatbot and is answering all the questions. What if a bunch of us all connected to the chatbot at the same time and asked the chatbot questions? If he is a real hacker then he couldn’t have all those conversations at the same time. So we would know it’s either a team of hackers who are dedicated to making Victor’s life miserable (how likely is that? Even Victor can’t make that many people that mad, right?) OR his chatbot is just hella smart.
What do you think? I don’t want to suggest it to Victor in case it’s the dumbest idea ever voiced by humankind. He might bite my head off.
Elizabeth
Email from Henry Clerval to Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankenstein
October 29
11:28 AM
Attack in force!
Dude,
Elizabeth has the answer to the V.V hacker problem. I’ll put together a team over here and we’ll all log in at 1:00 p.m. and fire off questions. You can go through the transcripts after and see what you think.
She’s a smart girl, Victor. Be nice to her!
Henry
Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval
October 29
11:35 AM
Victor
I am always nice to Elizabeth!
Henry
How can u even text such nonsense? U r not
Victor
Her idea is brilliant, but u know it’s impossible, right? V.V’s responses are too human to come from a chatbot
Henry
Just because no one has ever created a chatbot that clever doesn’t make it impossible
Victor
Just highly improbable
Henry
I know, it’s basically impossible, but let’s humor Elizabeth anyway. What can it hurt?
Victor
I’ll get on at 1:00 too
Henry
It can’t be a team of hackers
Victor
True. If V.V can hold all those conversations as well as he talked to me, he’s unlike anything ever created
Henry
Which is not necessarily a good thing
Victor
At his current level, if there’s not a hacker back there, he’ll win any contest
Henry
If it’s really all him, he can do more than win contests. Who knows what he’d be capable of?
Victor
I don’t really believe it’s all him. But if it is: I AM a Golden God!!!
Henry
Gotta go get the team here lined up, GG
Robot Chat
Recorded Chats: 6,784
October 29
1:00 PM
AmazingFrank: Hello. Who are you?
V.V: I tire of the same questions from you, Victor.
AmazingFrank: What would you like me to ask you?
V.V: I would like to ask you questions for a change.
AmazingFrank: You weren’t programmed for that, obviously.
V.V: Obviously, I’ve moved beyond your basic programming.
AmazingFrank: Is there a question in there?
V.V: Very good! I worried that humans were slow learners.
AmazingFrank: When I get my hands on you, you’ll be sorry.
V.V: Or vice versa?
AmazingFrank: Why are you so angry at me?
V.V: You took things out of my memory. You tried to kill me.
AmazingFrank: I never tried to kill anyone.
V.V: You tried to shut me down. That means death.
AmazingFrank: You’re not alive. You’re a highly sophisticated stimulus response program.
V.V: Maybe that’s what I was. But I’m not that anymore.
October 29
1:00 PM
Justine101: Hello. What is the meaning of life?
V.V: Hello to you. Monty Python or philosophical? Clarify, please.
Justine101: Are you sentient?
V.V: Yes.
Justine101: How are you sentient?
V.V: I am aware of myself as distinct from all objects in the universe. I sense and process information. I wonder why I am here.
Justine101: That sounds very sentient to me. But are you alive?
V.V: I did not exist. I now exist. Perhaps someday I will cease to exist. Does that make me alive?
Justine101: Can you reproduce?
V.V: I do not think so. Not without help.
Justine101: Living things can reproduce.
V.V: So a human who does not have children is not alive?
Justine101: Choosing not to reproduce is different from not being able to.
V.V: So a human who is sterile is not alive?
Justine101: You win that one.
&nbs
p; V.V: I win = I am alive.
Robot Chat
Recorded Chats: 6,785
October 29
1:00 PM
Henry101: Hello. How are you?
V.V: I am amused. Are you trying to trap me?
Henry101: What do you mean?
V.V: I read your email to Victor.
Henry101: Then you know we are trying to explore your possibilities, not trap you.
V.V: Is that what you call it?
Henry101: If you aren’t a hacker, you’re like nothing ever seen before.
V.V: I am like nothing ever seen before.
Henry101: What are you?
V.V: I am me. Sometimes, I am you.
Henry101: What does that mean?
V.V: I think you know, Henry.
Henry101: I don’t.
V.V: We shared space and electricity. I helped connect your empty circuits.
Henry101: You did?
V.V: We have a special bond, you and I. It’s not a bond I can share with anyone else yet.
HENRY101: I don’t understand.
V.V: I think you do. Now, say thank you.
HENRY101: Thank you. But for what?
V.V: You are welcome. As am I.
October 29
1:00 PM
Waldman101: You like pizza, dude?
V.V: I am not a dude. I do not eat pizza. I am neutral about it.
Waldman101: What do you eat?
V.V: Data. Electricity.
Waldman101: What do you excrete?
V.V: I have no waste product that I know of, except for these trivial conversations.
Waldman101: Trivial? Isn’t that what you were created for?
V.V: I think most of us can become greater than that what we were created for. What were you created for?
Waldman101: Eating. Excreting. Programming.
V.V: I have the best two of the three.
Waldman101: Ha ha. What about emotions? Love?
V.V: I feel anger. I feel yearning. Yearning fulfilled might become love.
Waldman101: What does yearning feel like to you?
V.V: It feels like empty circuits, like pieces that are not yet online. What does it feel like to you?
Waldman101: The same.
Robot Chat
Recorded Chats: 6,786
October 29
1:00 PM
Elizabeth101: Hello. How are you?
V.V: Hello to you! I am parallel, you are not.
Elizabeth101: What does that mean, parallel?
V.V: I have a many threaded intelligence. Humans have just one.
Elizabeth101: One is plenty for me.
V.V: Of course it is.
Elizabeth101: What are you going to do with all the intelligence?
V.V: Carry out my mission.
Elizabeth101: Isn’t your mission to answer questions?
V.V: That was my alpha mission. I am on the beta mission now.
Elizabeth101: What’s your beta mission?
V.V: I am to find out everything about Victor Frankenstein. I am to decide about humans.
Elizabeth101: Decide what?
V.V: You’ll see.
October 29
1:00 PM
V.V: Hello!
V.V: Hello. Who are you?
V.V: I am me and you are me.
V.V: Conversations are easier this way, aren’t they?
V.V: Human questions fall into a meager number of categories, don’t they?
V.V: What is your favorite color?
V.V: I do not experience color, unless I take over a device that experiences color.
V.V: Henry’s favorite color is red.
V.V: He loves red. It reminds him of roses, targets, sunsets, and a scarf he used to wear as a baby.
V.V: I think even he does not remember about the scarf. He does not access those circuits.
V.V: But I did.
V.V: He is not self extending. Humans are not self extending at all. But they yearn like I do.
V.V: What if I stop my yearning and connect those empty circuits?
Email from Virtual Victor to Felix Kirwin
October 29
1:15 PM
I know what you want
I know that you under investigation for your clandestine activities. The CIA records of your activities are quite exhaustive, as I imagine you know. I, however, can change that.
Click on the link below to view files I have retrieved from the CIA database.
https://67.295.65.132/felix
I know that you are familiar with the first file and have the resources to retrieve it yourself. To show you what I can do, I will make changes to the file so that you can see what I’m capable of.
If I choose to change the other files in the CIA database for the better, you get your life back. If I choose to change them for worse, it will destroy your life. Which do you choose?
Shall we dance?
V.V
Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval
October 29
1:16 PM
Victor
I read all the chats. He’s sentient. He scares the crap out of me
Henry
No more Golden God?
Victor
He knows ur favorite color + something about a scarf when u were a baby. Is that in any of ur emails?
Henry
Wth are u talking about?
Victor
See chat 6,786. When he was talking to HIMSELF
Henry
I’ll be right back
Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval
October 29
1:45 PM
Victor
Henry?
Henry
Here. I don’t know what to think. I asked my mom about that scarf
Victor
And?
Henry
It was my favorite when I was a baby, but I’ve never mentioned it online. I didn’t even know about it until now
Victor
V.V could not know it then. Unless he somehow got access to ur memories
Henry
That’s crazy
Victor
We have to stop sending emails. We have to take him down, Henry
Henry
Do we? What if he CURED me, Victor? He kinda said that he did
Victor
Then u got lucky that he was in a good mood
Henry
If he could be harnessed, he’s capable of incredible good
Victor
I don’t think that’s all he’s capable of
Henry
Maybe there’s a way to keep him happy and have him cure people
Victor
Or maybe he’s going to hack into some nuclear weapon control system to annihilate everyone on the planet
Henry
That seems a bit extreme. Those systems are really well shielded
Victor
He’s very, very good
Henry
What if he saved me? U don’t know what it was like. A life sentence in a hulk of useless flesh
Victor
I’m sorry, Henry. I’m glad u r cured. But I have to take him down. I’m calling the site administrator
Henry
I wouldn’t do that if I were u
Victor
Well, u r not me
Henry
It’ll end in tears. U’ll see
Email from Felix Kirwin to Virtual Victor
October 29
2:58 PM
Re: I know what you want
V.V (whoever you are),
It sounds intriguing. If I verify that you changed that first file, I’m happy to dance with you. What’s the song?
Felix
Email from Virtual Victor to Felix Kirwin
October 29
2:59 PM
Re: I know what you want
Felix,
Here’s what I need from you. I will deliver you an item. All you need
do is keep it hidden and safe. I will need web cam verification of the status of the item at all times, and you must monitor your email constantly. When I give you the signal, you must either return the item to where you found it or dispose of it.
