Dawn broke over Eutopia City, spilling sunlight tinged orange by desert sands beyond the barrier. Tall buildings in the center of the metropolis nudged the sky. Whatever architectural prowess it took to raise them from a wasteland seemed near magic. Same with the trees dotting the artificial landscape and the grass clipped to a perfect one-point-five inches.
When had the shadow agency funding this project found the time and the stealth required to erect an entire city? Had no one seen? Did no one know?
Standing on her mattress, the empty streets reminded Skylar of doomsday movies from her childhood. There were businesses, neighborhoods, parks, and recreational areas. No people in sight. She could easily picture herself being the last man on earth. With a spoken command, the massive window above her bed transitioned to opaque to hide the panorama.
She was ready to face reality, but first she needed to understand what Norma Mansfield had gotten them into. Not the hostage situation. She understood government subterfuge. She wanted clarification on Magnum Opus. Installing Freewill changed everything.
After a sonic shower, Skylar dressed in the comfortable athleisure wear that filled her closet and took the elevator down to find Norma. It didn't take long. Still in her pajamas, Norma haunted the rooms of the quiet house. Skylar leaned against the downstairs bathroom doorframe and observed a red laser jut from the other woman's ocular insert and wash over the room.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Norma glanced at her when she was done. "Using one of Chang & Mansfield's classified apps. It's only available to state and federal programs. It checks for bugs," she explained.
"Oh? Shouldn't you be scanning Magnum?" Skylar joked.
Her friend pressed a finger to her ear and pantomimed a customer service call. "Your grievance has been duly noted. Thank you. To register a new complaint, please try again."
Skylar pushed from the doorframe and approached Norma with a half-smile. "Hey, I realize I haven't been my best self lately. I'm sorry. And since being caught in the wide net they cast for you, I get why you felt you couldn't tell me the truth about your past. Just... moving forward, I need you to take my feelings seriously."
"I do." Norma beckoned her into the kitchen. "The scan was a success. They have cameras observing the entire community, but this house is secure. We can speak plainly."
"I need to know how Freewill works," Skylar replied as they navigated the corridor lined with framed canvases. Her eyes drifted to the paintings. Whoever had decorated their temporary abode seemed to know them well. She wasn't comfortable with that. How long had they been observing her?
"In order to understand how the Freewill program works," said Norma, "we need to discuss what the pared-down version does."
Skylar pivoted to the fridge in search of breakfast. Norma hopped on the sleek pastel countertop at her side. Floating shelves adorned with screen-prints lined the wall to the tech mogul's left, and an exorbitant amount of sunlight speared through the window behind her. She appeared to be some angelic exhibit with gold-dusted hair spilling around her restful face and gem-like irises sparkling with vitality. One look and Sky closed the fridge door.
"Guess I'll make tea," she muttered. Anything to put distance between them.
"Hey..." Norma caught her arm. Skylar tensed at being handled so familiarly. Hadn't they lost that perk of friendship? She hardly knew this woman. "Things still feel strange between us. I want us to—Can we really start over? I mean, can we go back to the way things were?" Norma asked.
Their eyes locked. Gently disengaging and moving to the other side of the kitchen to select matcha from the teamaker, she nodded. But getting rid of her mulish mood was easier said than done. Norma watched her with a worried frown.
Skylar was over the hump of working together. She could overcome her panic at being stuck in Eutopia. The three-bedroom house had full modern amenities, and surviving this top-secret project would keep her preoccupied until they escaped. Besides, no one missed her in New Silicon. Her family thought she was in the colonies. There was no clear reason to resist Norma's overtures. They were all each other had.
As if to prove her wrong, Magnum rounded the corner. Norma slid from the countertop to greet him, and the swift move carried the powdery scent of her perfume to Skylar's nostrils. She released a gusty exhale.
"Good morning! How was the guest room?" Norms chirped.
Skylar narrowed her eyes and mouthed, "Who even are you?"
Her friend waved her off with a smirk. "I'm being hospitable. Shut up."
"I slept well, thank you. Who wants breakfast?" Grinning at their exchange, Magnum positioned himself at the stove. His gaze bounced between them.
Another chipper morning person. Skylar suppressed a groan and carried her tea to the living room.
"Ooh, I'm starving. I'll help you cook," Norma offered behind her. "We can eat while we chat. Lots to discuss before our first official work-day starts." She pitched her voice to reach Skylar, who tipped two fingers toward the ceiling in acknowledgement without turning around.
From the sofa, watching the two maneuver the open-concept kitchen, the answers fell in place for Skylar. She realized her faith in Norma Mansfield had been shaken, and the tremors happened before she was kidnapped.
Norms had failed the test when she announced leaving for the colonies. Instead of asking Skylar to stay for their friendship, the tech mogul had prioritized work assignments. She had made it about what Skylar could do for the company. How Skylar needed to stick to her plan, her goals for her. Reflecting on their history, it had always been that way.
Their friendship had been transactional, Skylar realized. Therefore—no—she didn't want to go back to the way things were. Nor was she ready to explore a romantic angle like she thought she might be when she learned the truth about Norma's identity. The decision to give Magnum Freewill without consulting her, despite the ramifications the move would have for both of them, was confirmation they weren't on equal footing.
Maybe life away from civilization was what they needed to create a stronger bond. In the meantime, Skylar reminded herself the situation wasn't personal. If they were to get out alive, they would have to work together. She put away her hurt feelings and focused on the day at hand.
Norma entered the living room with two plates piled high with vegan pancakes and faux sausage. Magnum took his to the bookshelf lining the living room wall. Skylar accepted her plate and dug in. "We were discussing Freewill," she prompted.
"Right," said Norma. "Nearly every industry employs androids of some sort. They're designed to de-code human speech and body language, in conjunction with pre-set complex tasks, to do their jobs effectively. The baseline units we'll be working with are upgraded service droids.
"The goal is to integrate them into society," Norms continued as she took a seat by the patio door. "To do that, we must make these units as human as possible. As you can see, Magnum Opus is functionally no different from you or me."
Skylar interjected, "So, the Freewill program humanizes their artificial central nervous system. But doesn't that mean you've equipped an AI with human fallibility? His superior knowledge combined with our willpower makes him a danger to this mission."
"He's not dangerous. Here, I'll air-drop you his file. Magnum's source DNA was derived from stem cells from a decorated military official. Yes, his body and organs are biological. However, his brain is one-hundred percent machine. He simply doesn't have the psychological means to cause us harm," Norma insisted.
Magnum's dark eyes lifted from the book he was perusing while picking over his breakfast. "And I'm looking at brain imaging and psychological assessments of murderers and anarchists. Even if I had a human brain, the likelihood of harming others seems rooted in motivation science. These individuals tend to be triggered by lack of goal attainment in their interpersonal lives or a failure of emotional regulation strategies."
"Precisely," Norma agreed. "His base-code, which you can analogue to a personality type, is extroverted, nurturing, disciplined, and service-oriented. With the installation of Freewill, I gave him feelings and intuition that will color how he interprets the world around him. But—"
"Is it a failure of imagination that allows you to ignore all the other reasons people kill? Feelings, for one," Skylar deadpanned. Magnum surprised her by chuckling. She glanced at him and caught her lips quirking upward. She shook her head at herself. "Look, I know you're proud of your work, Norms, but you're like a mom with a blind spot when it comes to her own kid."
Norma slouched in her chair and pinned her with a frown. "Would you like to run a psychological assessment on him? Do whatever it takes to put your fears to rest."
"If it helps, other reasons people exhibit antisocial behaviors include 'trouble with delaying gratification,'" Magnum read softly. "I have a built-in dopamine regulator to help with resistance to addictions. Suffice it to say my ability to wait for what satisfies me is probably greater than both yours combined, Sky."
"Don't call me Sky," she said on reflex. The nickname was reserved for those close to her. When she cut an annoyed glance in the direction of his chair by the bookshelf, he apologized, surprising her yet again.
"According to the research in this book," he lifted the heavy tome, "the remainder of killers seem motivated by a desire for recognition of competence. It's doubtful I will ever develop a crisis in that arena. Conversely, I am patently aware of my strengths and weaknesses within our team, which buffers against narcissism or grandiosity."
"I get it, Magnum. You're perfect. A real chip off the old block." Skylar chuffed.
Norma tossed a throw pillow at her and laughed. "I think he's charming."
"I'd rather know I can trust him," Skylar replied.
Magnum returned his book to the shelf and padded toward her. Her lips tightened, but he only sat at her knee and crossed his legs akimbo. He gazed up at her with a guileless grin, deep-set eyes bright and friendly. "What can I do to earn your trust?" he asked.
She wanted to explain trust wasn't something that could be negotiated. She peered at Norma. How long had it taken to trust her? Not nearly long enough. Her best friend tucked her legs beneath her lithesome body and raised a hopeful eyebrow. Give him a chance, she seemed to channel.
Her loaded stares would be Skylar's undoing.
Luckily, something beyond the sliding glass patio door snagged the artist's attention. Tufts of grass in the backyard bounced and swayed. Fat plops of water darkened the deck. Grey clouds wafted across the blue sky, and a light breeze ruffled the trees. It was raining in the middle of the desert.
Then, she noticed the line of trucks approaching in the distance. She got up and walked toward the door to study them. The absurd weather matched her state of mind. A sense of comradery was creeping in where it shouldn't. If ever she had encountered an "us against the world" scenario, this was it.
"The way... I see it," she replied in a stilted voice, "we're three people versus ten-thousand droids... and the army of personnel at the shadow agency's disposal." When she turned to face her companions, they were staring at the advancing caravan, too. "I would rather confront those odds with someone on my team than alone."
Norma put a hand on Magnum's shoulder. "Before they get here, there's something you should know. None of the other units will receive the program you received. In fact, no one on this mission should know your capabilities. Hide them at all costs."
He nodded understanding as her pupils flicked away, and Skylar realized she was getting a call. Sky pushed open the sliding glass door and stepped outside. The rain let up. She grabbed a chair, wondering if their AI assistant would be up to the job of fooling the very people who created him. Magnum sat across from her, and he flashed a tiny smile.
"Are you scared?" she asked, curious.
He tilted his head. "Everything is too new. I think I feel excited."
She uttered a dry laugh. "You'll get over that soon."
Norma joined them and expanded the incoming call to a holographic communication panel mounted near the sliding door. The white square projected Mr. Betts standing on the rain-washed deck. It was Skylar's first time seeing the older black man in a stylish suit who walked with a limp. He didn't seem sinister. He could be a kindly uncle. She told herself this man had orchestrated her kidnapping.
Gesturing at their small team, Norma settled in a wrought iron chair that cushioned upon impact. "Good morning, Mr. Betts. Magnum has been re-programmed and is ready to assist. I've also managed to convince Skylar to contribute to the project. Go ahead with the day's report so we can get started."
"Good morning, Ms. Walker, Magnum. Let's get down to business. You may have noticed the trucks and buses filing into the city. They are delivering the first round of units, as well as a skeleton crew of personnel to manage the reprogramming assembly line."
"Very good, sir," Norma acknowledged the help.
Mr. Betts nodded and continued. "My staff will be headquartered in the district surrounding the plant. Readying their replacements should be priority, Ms. Mansfield. Once you have production flowing smoothly, my crew will return to the barrier, and you can focus on filling essential roles within the city with bio-AI."
"You mean security, healthcare, and trade industries. Understood, Mr. Betts. Are you planning to micromanage everything, or am I allowed to take it from here?" Norma asked glibly.
The old man grinned. "We defer to your expert judgment, as we've made clear. We've entrusted you with Unit 052405, after all. Speaking of, what responsibilities will the other members of your team handle?"
Norma laid out Magnum and Skylar's duties as their liaison air-dropped files to each of them. Skylar studied the initial diagram glowing in her insert—a blueprint of the anatomy of the incoming citizens of Eutopia. The illustrations must have been designed for marketing purposes or for the history books the shadow organization was determined to rewrite.
"They've simply merged Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man with a nonsensical mechanical brain schematic. This is hardly technical enough to gather how these things will operate. It's made for grade school kids," Skylar complained quietly. Mr. Betts continued in the background, unaware. But when Norma inclined her head in agreement, Skylar began to wonder if the agency wanted them to fail. The project was enormous, the details were sparse, and their resources were suboptimal.
"Oh, and one more thing," the old man announced. "The board feels it's best not to treat the test subjects like humans."
"The board?" Norma parroted.
"Not to humanize them?" Skylar spoke over her. "I beg your pardon, but isn't that the whole point of the mission?"
Mr. Betts zeroed in on her, and she squirmed in her chair. "The point of this mission," he said, "is to see what happens when robots become civilians. Asking them to be human would be... lowering the bar. Don't you think?"