Innerscape, Part 1, Induction

White Knight

White Knight

Kenneth Wu was in one of the labs adjacent to the Catacombs, fine tuning the algorithms that would interface between Miira's brain and the digital world around her when the AI suddenly came to life with an urgent message.

"Patient Tahn has entered the containment area. Uploading co-ordinates."

"What?"

What the hell was Miira doing in the catacombs?

Kenneth was half way to the door before he remembered his work.

"Save algorithm!" he yelled as he left the lab at a run.

Outside, flashing red arrows guided him as he pounded down the corridor. The Catacombs could be like a maze, and if Miira was in there on her own she could easily be lost. But what had sent her into the Catacombs in the first place?

As  he ran down one featureless passage after the other, apparently in circles, Kenneth began to wonder if the AI had had a malfunction.

Coming to a halt at another empty intersection, he yelled up at the sound receptors dotting the ceiling, "Where ...the hell ...is she?"

"Patient Tahn is moving very fast," the AI responded. "I have attempted to slow her chair, but she has invoked full manual override."

"Shit," Kenneth said, thoughts whirling. I'll never catch her like this.

"AI? Extrapolate Patient Tahn's position and speed for 30 seconds into the future, and close all security doors outside that radius."

"Understood."

Less than a minute later the AI said, "Patient Tahn has come to a halt in sector C4. All doors leading to or from C4 are now closed."

"Good. Now patch me through to C4 so I can talk to her."

"Patching now. Please go ahead."

"Miira? It's me, Kenneth Wu. Can you hear me?"

For a long moment Kenneth could hear little over the pounding of his own heart, but then a small, disembodied voice said, "Yes."

"Stay there Miira. I'm coming to get you, okay?"

The only answer he received was a barely audible snuffle.

"I'll be there soon," he promised as he began jogging again.

What could have upset her so much? She wasn't the kind of woman to throw a tantrum for no reason.

Three corridors and 250 metres later, Kenneth reached the first of the doors sealing C4 from the rest of the facility.