Death Angel

Chapter 18: Astrid

The risks in developing superintelligence include the risk of failure to give it the supergoal of philanthropy. One way in which this could happen is that the creators of the superintelligence decide to build it so that it serves only this select group of humans, rather than humanity in general.

- Nick Bostrom, Ethical Issues in Advanced Artificial Intelligence

Even after I bade farewell to Aunt Sylvia, my mind was filled with questions. I'd gotten several answers, yes, including the answer to my biggest questions regarding my death - the 'who' and the 'why' for instance - but much of it still didn't make sense. There were far too many gaps in the puzzle.

The drive back was solitary, and I was appreciative of it. I had much to think about, to sort my mind out.

I kept going back and forth in my own mind, running pointless scenarios with myself, trying to figure out why my father turned, why he had to go in the direction he had chosen. No matter which option I chose, what calculations I ran, it wasn't making any sense.

I realized I had to come to grips with the fact that the man I knew and loved as a father, wasn't who I thought he was. That my entire life had been a farce.

The trip back was a blur. Before I knew it, I found myself staring once again at the gated residence of Steven Rutherford. I rang the bell and the doorman greeted me.

"Mrs. Rutherford has been expecting you, Miss Wellington. Please come in."

My heart beat as I once again rode in the Lexus that greeted me.

I found her waiting in the open doorway, an anxious look on her face.

I looked upon Astrid Hunter, knew who she was now, and the tears came on their own, unbidden. Warm tears that streaked down my face against my will. I realized it too late, and tried to stifle my own sobs, but the floodgates had been opened.

My mother smiled at me.

"So you know," she said softly.

"So I know," I said, as I ran toward her and hugged her, burying my face deep into her chest, hugging her as hard as I could. "There is so much I want to know, so much I want to say," I said, sobbing.

"Hush," said my mother. "there will be plenty of time for that later on. For now, the important thing is that you have come back to me."

"Can you continue on where Aunt Sylvia left off? I have so many questions that I want to ask."

"And I am here to answer them all," said Astrid. "Please, have a seat," she said, as she motioned to a nearby couch.

"Why didn't you ever come to see me?" I asked.

"The risk would have been too great. Donovan was searching for me as hard as he could, with all the resources he had at this disposal, the prudent thing to do would have been to disappear."

"Why did you distance yourself from Aunt Sylvia?"

"For obvious reasons, Vanessa. Your father didn't know much about your Aunt Sylvia. The less involved she was in the matter, the better off she would be. We decided it was best for us to be estranged from each other. I told her I would never again come to see her, but it was always my hope that one day we might be reunited, but that it would not be until the demon was dead.

"And Steven Rutherford?"

Astrid smiled. "Steven is a man of resources. But he took me in, gave me what Donnie never could. He gave me security, he gave me love...." Astrid stopped. "I... I never had children again, Vanessa. I could never go through what I went through with you. I loved you more than anything in this life. If I could only go back, turn back time, I might have done things differently."