Identities Unknown

A Few Days Later Pt. 3

"I could hear Nya talking and I saw Professor Borg. You are not very good at lying."

He sighs in defeat. "Yeah, okay, we're just working on a top secret project, so if you could not tell anyone, that'd be great..."

"Alright. May I see it?"

Jay flashes a nervous look back at the curtain. "Oh, u-umm... I dunno, it's.... It's... wait, who are you again?"

"My name is Zane. Perhaps you do not recall, but I was one of the people who helped carry you when you were injured."

"I probably don't remember cuz I was unconscious," he mutters, then speaks at a normal volume. "But it's nice to meet you! I'm--"

"Jay Walker. I know."

"I guess you would know that. Why'd you come in here in the first place?"

"Someone pushed me."

"Woah, really? Someone pushed me too, but that... has nothing to do with the current situation..." He trails off, presumably trying to think of something else to say to me, when Nya comes up behind him and places a hand on his shoulder. He screams, then his face goes red as he realizes it is just his friend. "O-oh! Hey, Nya..."

"Jay, chill. Hi Zane!" She smiles. "What's up?"

"Nothing, really. I was just heading out when I happened to fall in here. Would it be a problem if I were to briefly see what you three are making?"

"You'll have to ask Mr. Borg," she responds, gesturing back towards the curtain. "He's the one in charge of who gets to see her and who doesn't." As if on cue, the third person timidly steps out on his robotic legs.

"Oh, it's you, Zane," he sighs, apparently relieved. "I was worried it might someone who is... less supportive of my work... "

"Why would anyone not like your work?" I inquire. "It is genius!"

"Not everyone thinks the way you three do," he sighs. "In any case, I will allow you a brief glance at my project, but nothing more, okay?"

I nod and bow slightly in thanks. "Alright. Thank you, professor."

"Of course, Zane," he smiles. "Right this way." He holds open the curtain and allows me to enter, with Jay and Nya following, before he lets go and it falls shut. Inside, I spot an assortment of tools and materials, along with an almost human-sized lump underneath a tarp.

"Is that the project?" I ask gesturing to the tarp.

"Yup!" Nya giggles.

"A masterful work of skill in inventing and mechanics, if we do say so ourselves," Jay boasts with a snicker.

"We're attempting to create artificial intelligence that is capable of everything humans can do," Cyrus explains while Nya smacks Jay on the back of the head. "I'm calling it: Primary Interactive X-ternal Assistant Life-form. Though it could have a shorter name..." He trails off, gazing proudly at his unfinished creation. "She'll help so many people, I'm sure of it..." He murmurs, almost more to the AI than to me.

I nod in agreement with his statement as he takes a deep breath, preparing to show me a part of his project. However, just as he is reaching for the tarp, my phone starts ringing loudly, and I recognize the ringtone as the one I set for when Cole calls me. Cyrus Borg jumps, Jay squeaks, and Nya snorts as I struggle to pull my phone out of my pocket and see who is calling.

I could have sworn I set it to vibrate, I growl internally, embarrassed from startling my friends. What does he want? Is he going to tell me where he's been all day? "Sorry," I tell my companions. "I should probably take this..." I press the accept button and am about to question my brother, but he speaks before I can even get a word out.